Going Solar
Or Biomass...or Wind~
The idea is that electricity generated from fossil fuels (oil, coal, gas, etc) should be relegated to the annals of history. Al Gore knows it. He has a 10 year plan. Here's the thing, a very astute friend of mine noted that, were there massive profits built into the 10 year plan, it would have already been instituted. Since there are not, I fear that it will be up to intrepid individuals, and later pioneering groups, to spearhead the move away from traditional power generation.
The first step is to invest in alternative energy for your home. Something as simple as a solar powered water heater makes a difference, but going 100% alternative (if possible in your area) can generate a positive cash flow...so you can do your part to save the environment, unhitch your wagon from potentially disastrous foreign-oil dependence policy, and reap a real savings in terms of dollar to dollar output every month by going solar, for example. There are grants available (http://www.dsireusa.org/index.cfm?EE=0&RE=1), and if you opt to roll the cost of your solar installation into your mortgage, in most cases, the additional cost will be more than offset by the savings in your electric bill.
The next step is to create demand for alternatively powered development. This is a 'Field of Dreams' sort of thing, I guess. Build it and they will come. What I am suggesting is that real estate developers open their eyes to the potential for building subdivisions that are entirely independent of the existing electrical grid. Building homes that are solar powered, or setting aside enough land within the development for Photovoltaic arrays to power the community would set a developer apart in an appreciable way. Building the cost of the solar installation into the price of the homes, with the understanding that home-owners will never pay an electric bill could be a major marketing point. Couple this sort of power scheme with exceptionally efficient home designs and a developer could take advantage of the growing trend toward sustainable 'green' building.
The political will to divorce ourselves from foreign oil is not there currently. It is up to us as individuals and forward-thinking businesses to propel the movement toward a more sustainable, peaceful future.
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=92677182
http://www.nrel.gov/rredc/
The idea is that electricity generated from fossil fuels (oil, coal, gas, etc) should be relegated to the annals of history. Al Gore knows it. He has a 10 year plan. Here's the thing, a very astute friend of mine noted that, were there massive profits built into the 10 year plan, it would have already been instituted. Since there are not, I fear that it will be up to intrepid individuals, and later pioneering groups, to spearhead the move away from traditional power generation.
The first step is to invest in alternative energy for your home. Something as simple as a solar powered water heater makes a difference, but going 100% alternative (if possible in your area) can generate a positive cash flow...so you can do your part to save the environment, unhitch your wagon from potentially disastrous foreign-oil dependence policy, and reap a real savings in terms of dollar to dollar output every month by going solar, for example. There are grants available (http://www.dsireusa.org/index.cfm?EE=0&RE=1), and if you opt to roll the cost of your solar installation into your mortgage, in most cases, the additional cost will be more than offset by the savings in your electric bill.
The next step is to create demand for alternatively powered development. This is a 'Field of Dreams' sort of thing, I guess. Build it and they will come. What I am suggesting is that real estate developers open their eyes to the potential for building subdivisions that are entirely independent of the existing electrical grid. Building homes that are solar powered, or setting aside enough land within the development for Photovoltaic arrays to power the community would set a developer apart in an appreciable way. Building the cost of the solar installation into the price of the homes, with the understanding that home-owners will never pay an electric bill could be a major marketing point. Couple this sort of power scheme with exceptionally efficient home designs and a developer could take advantage of the growing trend toward sustainable 'green' building.
The political will to divorce ourselves from foreign oil is not there currently. It is up to us as individuals and forward-thinking businesses to propel the movement toward a more sustainable, peaceful future.
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=92677182
http://www.nrel.gov/rredc/
Comments
Going solar and building green is being applied to whole subdivisions. New home builders are now marketing to the environmentally conscious. Go green!!