New Energy = New Economy
Monday, March 2nd, 2009
The residents of Toksook Bay, Alaska don’t worry much about getting shipments of heating oil on time in the winter months anymore. A trio of new wind turbines now generates electricity all year round in this remote fishing village.
In central Africa, solar ovens are saving lives. Displaced Sudanese women living in refugee camps near Darfur now cook meals without having to build a fire. This means that no one needs to venture out into the countryside in search of firewood, where militia groups prey on unarmed civilians. The solar ovens are really just cardboard boxes lined with tin foil, a refreshingly simple solution to a terrifying problem.
That’s the beauty of renewables. Virtually anyone can collect energy from the sun and wind using relatively inexpensive tools. Consumers don’t need incoming electrical lines or shipments of oil to survive anymore. Power to the people!









Peer down from the ninety ninth floor of an urban skyscraper and commuters look like little bugs. Every day thousands of worker bees cram into giant steel buildings to produce a little honey for their favorite customers. Unfortunately there’s never enough room on the narrow downtown streets to deliver all of these go getters to the hive on time. Enter mass transit.
To understand the importance of energy, try turning off all the power to your home for 24 hours, then see how your day goes. No, you don’t get to jump in the SUV and drive to a motel either. Energy is a vital resource and diversifying our energy production portfolio will strengthen America in the long run.
Seeking the perfect gift for that environmentally conscious special someone in your life? Why not shop for your loved one on the
Americans love a challenge. The need for long term energy independence becomes more obvious with each passing day, but we just keep finding new ways of satisfying our voracious appetite for power.