Obama: Our Clean Energy Future is Now
- Erin Allweiss
- NRDC alum
- Blog | About
- Posted February 24, 2009 in Solving Global Warming
Tonight Barack Obama delivered an inspirational speech to a country in need of hope, something he was not short on throughout the campaign and not short on tonight. It made me hopeful to hear him make clean energy a fundamental force in our nation's recovery.
As he said, "the country that harnesses the power of clean, renewable energy will lead the 21st century." Not only did he commit to repowering America with renewable energy, energy efficiency, and a smarter smart grid...but he actually outlined his plan for putting a cap on carbon emissions and creating revenues that will fund renewable energy technologies.
Tonight he asked Congress to send him "legislation that places a market-based cap on carbon pollution and drives the production of more renewable energy in America." This means, he explained, investing fifteen billion dollars a year on efficiency, on biofuels, and on harnessing the natural power of the wind, sun, and heat of the earth.
This is absolutely the change that America needs, and it is change that will set our nation on the path to a clean energy economy. As the president unveils his budget outline on Thursday, I expect to see - and share - more details about President Obama's plan to refuel our nation and jumpstart our economy.
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Comments
Eric Young — Feb 24 2009 10:07 PM
Absolutely right. We have the President who understands our problems but just as important, understands the solutions.
Very inspirational speech.
kendall linzee — Feb 25 2009 04:34 AM
Not a moment too soon! I particularly enjoyed the President's little tidbit about Plug-in Hybrid batteries made elswhere. For a "Slum-Dog" price no doubt. Maybe if I don't have a mortgage, I could get some financing on a battery. Where's that nice guy with the jacket and tie?
Honestly, I don't see myself financing a new plug-in before the dreaded tipping point is reached. I'm not being pessimistic I just don't trust waiting for legislation and bailed out car companies to give me the best overpriced option. My 1986 ethanol powered Fiat, that I drove while we lived in Brazil got great mileage and ran considerably cleaner. Would have been even better if fuel injected with catalytic converter. That was 22 YEARS AGO. I also don't see why Timmothy Searchinger and other critics of Ethanol present their arguments as though energy input were not a variable. He was so general and vague, making very questionable statements, in a local npr interview that I didn't bother reading his article. Other non-renewable alternatives have recieved far less scrutiny. Before you increase the demand for more new. Do the domestic thing and convert your car to run on E-85. The kits are available on-line and there's a nice trustworthy mechanic somewhere, who will do it for you. He may even have a mortgage payment he thought he could afford. I can't install it here in clean CA legally, thanks to the CARB. Maybe they're giving me a Hybrid? I hope they can afford the maintenance. I'm getting a 74 beetle and installing a carburetor from Brazil. The E-85, available in Brentwood, I heard, comes from winery waste or by-product.