Current Affairs Essay

This has always been the dream of environmentalists: a non-polluting energy source for their homes and a zero-emission vehicle for travel at a cost that would be reasonable for everyone. Of course one person's dream is another person's nightmare, and this green scenario is anathema to the fossil fuels industry. It means they would lose their economic and political stranglehold on not just America, but the entire world. Which is why they've been bullying mainstream news organizations for decades and paying off politicians at the beginning of each election cycle.

Naturally, there are plenty of cynics around who say it will take 50 years for renewable energy to make a real difference in our energy consumption, and we'll still need good old gas, oil, and coal as our primary sources of energy in the meantime. Of course, this becomes a self-fulfilling prophesy if we just sit back and do nothing, but if we change our energy policy dramatically, we can transform our entire society in a relatively short period of time.

As proof, consider this: In 1997, the Danish government began an experimental project on the island of Samso to see if it was practical to use various forms of renewable energy for all the island's energy needs. Their goal was to accomplish this in ten years.

Remarkably, they finished ahead of schedule, and today 100% of the island's electricity is generated by 11 one-megawatt wind turbines, while the rest of the island's energy needs are met by using solar panels and other forms of renewable energy.

True, it is easier to convert a small island to renewable energy than a large country. But the point is, the technology is available, and with the proper financial incentives and a full-scale commitment from the federal and state governments, the United States could break free from fossil fuels and be well on its way to becoming a land where solar panels, wind turbines, and electric cars would become the norm in ten years.

The only thing it takes is the political will to stand up to the fossil fuels industry. I know that's asking a lot. But in view of the perpetual wars for oil in the Middle East, the increased awareness of global climate change, and the high cost of gasoline at the pump, maybe, just maybe, enough Americans will get fed up living under the greasy, smelly, polluted armpit of the fossil fuels industry and look to the sun and the wind to guide them to a cleaner, safer, brighter future.