Re: [GreenYes] energy supply

[Muna Lakhani <muna@iafrica.com>]

dschere@bgnet.bgsu.edu wrote:
>  the central
> questions we will face as a nation in the upcoming conflict are about
> the efficiency and reliability of our energy supply and about efficient
> energy sources for transportation.  

The reliability and efficiency of energy supply is literally guaranteed
from natural renewable sources, and the mix (wind, solar thermal,
micro-hydro, biomass, wave, etc) will see to that.

The key challenge would be, in my humble opinion, the trsnsportation
issue - without knowing for sure or having studied it, I would venture
to guess that the vast majority of transport energy is for the transport
of goods in the US - if the nation were to move towards local production
for local consumption, then you would make a huge dent in this
transportation need.....

Even here in SA, we get the majority of our fruit and juices from the
other end of the country, the same with breakfast cereals and other
products... it is soooo inefficient...

>Strategically, the easiest opening
> for the environmental community will be to argue for clean coal and
> alternative mobile energy storage systems whose efficiency reduces their
> environmental impact.

opting for clean coal would at best be a stop gap - why not make a step
change, and go for the most sustainable way now, instead of avoiding the
change that needs to happen? It is human nature to avoid change, but
what alternatives do we have?

Thanx for those thought, Don...

Kind regards

Muna


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