| "Bridge fuels" refers to fuels that could be used in | | | | without long term assurances of a market there |
| the short term until non fossil fuels can be | | | | would be little incentive to incur the expense of |
| developed for use on a broad scale. Oklahoma, it | | | | recovering this fuel and modifying the delivery |
| is now believed, has enough natural gas under the | | | | system to get it from under the ground to the |
| surface to supply the energy needs of the entire | | | | consumer.o Three: use solar panels wherever |
| United States for at least one hundred years. | | | | feasible.o Four: utilize wind power wherever |
| There are also enormous amounts of natural gas | | | | feasible. Wind power has two severe limitations. |
| in Colorado and other locations in the country. The | | | | First, it can only be created when the wind blows. |
| oil reserves of the United States are of similar | | | | There is no easy, practical or economical way to |
| huge dimensions. | | | | store large amounts of electricity generated by |
| Congress and the media will be debating energy | | | | wind farms. Use it or lose it. Secondly, the cost of |
| plans for some time to come, so energy policy | | | | delivering electricity from wind farms to users is |
| will be a big conversation topic each time people | | | | affordable only for short distances. Building the |
| start discussing the economy or the environment. | | | | towers and lines to get it delivered for more than |
| No one person's plan will prevail. There are too | | | | a few miles becomes cost prohibitive. And, of |
| many considerations involved for any one plan to | | | | course, wind farms need to be located far out |
| be the perfect plan. There are factors beyond | | | | from population centers. |
| human control such as volcanic activity. The | | | | Five: conservation and carbon reduction. Some |
| world's energy needs are of mammoth | | | | obvious strategies for accomplishing this would |
| proportions. But so are the resources. | | | | include the following:o increase the mileage (fuel |
| We should all be able to talk about these matters | | | | efficiency) for cars and truckso find ways to stop |
| with some degree of intelligence, shouldn't we? | | | | the cutting down of rain forestso plant more |
| One easy way to discuss rather than argue these | | | | trees - way more trees.o reduce the prices by |
| matters would be to suggest a plan of your own. | | | | increasing supply. Subsidize the energy industries |
| That way everybody has a point of reference | | | | as needed.o keep going with the R and D focused |
| that helps to organize the conversation. Of course | | | | on developing affordable alternative non-fossil fuel |
| it also makes you appear to be well read, | | | | sources. |
| knowledgeable and thoughtful about current | | | | Important: energy and economies worldwide are |
| environmental issues. So here is the plan.o One: | | | | tied together. Cheap and plentiful energy reduces |
| drill, drill, drill. This is Boone Pickens' war cry and he | | | | the causes of war, promotes development, |
| is right!o Two: go after natural gas with a | | | | diminishes poverty and could help nations become |
| vengeance and plan on extensive use of natural | | | | more interdependent. National defense is costly |
| gas for the next 25 years with all the policy | | | | and wasteful. So is health care. Let's not add |
| ramification that entails. Why 25 years? Because | | | | energy to that list. |