Here is a Letter I have been working on - let me know what you think:
Dear President Bush:
I believe we are well past the time that we should have been making a serious effort to develop the Clean, Renewable Energy Technologies and minimizing our use of, and dependence on oil and the other polluting, costly forms of energy. But I am noticing that our government (this administration) is still subsidizing and is even expected to increase its support to the gluttonous oil companies, while offering very minimal and short term support to the (Non-Polluting) Renewable Energy Industry.
How much more secure and better off could we be, and how many of our conflicts in the world would be eliminated if we were not dependent on foreign oil?! We could be producing most of the energy we need from the abundant, clean resources of the sun, wind, geothermal, etc. We have the know-how and the means, we just need our leaders to make the decision – to put the support behind the effort to make the conversion.
The “green” - clean, renewable technologies just need a little help getting noticed and into mass production. The technology exists to generate energy from the sun, wind, and geothermal, resources at costs comparable to, and even less than from the burning of fossil fuels, particularly if we account for the cost of the pollution and other problems connected with fossil fuels. It is so short sighted and irresponsible to continue to be so dependent on the fossil fuels, and thus foreign oil, foreign governments, etc., with their associated problems (political / world conflicts, national security, global warming, and the serious affects of pollution on our health).
The use of fossil fuels costs us so much more than we see and pay for up front (because of the damage from the pollution and other related problems). So it would only make sense to provide substantial incentives, credits – tax benefits to the producers and users of the pollution-free fuels, AND establish a tax / penalty on the production and use of the polluting fuels – NOT SUBSIDIZE THEM! Revenue from this tax could be applied to pollution clean up and to help develop and build the green energy technologies – which overall would make these technologies much lower cost than what we are paying for the filthy fossil fuels.
Because the use of fossil fuels (and nuclear power) pollute and cost society, there should be a penalty (NOT A REWARD!) associated with them. Whereas we would realize so many benefits if most of our energy came from the clean renewable sources that there should be considerable tax credits and benefits associated with them. Making any effort to try to keep oil cheap is inane and exactly the opposite of what we should be doing.
If the resources that have been, and still are “spent” (wasted) on fossil fuel and nuclear power technologies were instead “invested” in the green energy technologies, we would quickly realize great benefits, cost savings and achieve energy independence.
Why are we still in Iraq? Hussein is gone. If we were not so dependent on oil, obviously we would not still need to be there (protecting our interest in the oil) overstepping the bounds of our responsibility, effecting more mistrust, creating more enemies, and in particular, SACRIFICING SO MANY GOOD LIVES – UNNECESSARILY. The responsibility and consequences here are huge and eternal.
How could we be expected to believe that this administration has a conscience if they allow and even promote the current situation?
Please help us, yourself and our children and develop and support legislation to bring about some of these changes – to direct some support to where we would realize some truly great benefits.
Thank you very much.
It is possible to easily email this or any letter to congress, the President, etc. through the following web site:
wwww.congress.org