Unless you have been imitating Rip Van Winkle, you are aware that a member of Congress together with a member of the U.S. Senate proposed a comprehensive alteration to our economy based around changing our energy sources to minimize harm to our planet. One author, Alexandra Ocasio-Cortez, stated that if you don’t like her plan then come up with your own. Well, here you go. This is mine.
The Green New Deal delves into many areas other than energy sources, but the heart of it is confronting what is commonly referred to as Climate Change. Some believe if we do not change how we live then we are looking at a catastrophe.
Here are my proposals to stem that potential calamity:
1. Let’s start with ending private airplane flight. Can you think of a greater waste of energy? Everybody who flies on their own jet can fly commercial. The worst are people like Al Gore flying on energy-wasting jets. Banning people like Gore or Michael Bloomberg from private jet use will erase any temptation they have that makes them look duplicitous. Everyone will be better off.
2. We need to scour the country for every waterway that we can dam to create hydroelectric power. There are an estimated 84,000 dams, but there is no doubt many can be improved with modern technology. With new technology and more new dams, we could generate enormous new energy sources that we will have forever or until it stops raining.
3. We need to adopt a law requiring that thermostats not be able to be set higher than 65 degrees when heating or below 77 degrees when cooling. We have had to do this in our home because we live in California. California has made laws that require all sources of energy be from renewable sources. The goal is 50% of all energy from renewables and 100% by 2045. This has soared the cost of energy in California to 50% higher than the rest of the nation. We are being crushed by these costs. Our only path is to learn to live with our homes colder in winter. We adjusted; we believe everyone else can as well.
4. Sales of electric cars are not going well. The only solution is to have the government give the cars away. If the government were to give away something like 500,000 electric vehicles, then we would spur production and familiarize Americans with EVs. This plan will catapult EVs into being the primary cars produced. We can hold a lottery. Just think how many people would participate in that and the level of interest that would create. Just think of how much interest was created in an Oprah Winfrey show when she was giving away free things including cars. This would be that on steroids.
5. We are putting solar panels on everybody’s roofs; why not put small windmills attached to everyone’s house? They would be an excellent counterbalance to when there is no sun and still self-generate energy. I am sure we could develop smaller models of windmills that attach to the side of a house or apartment that could capture all the wind energy we are losing out on currently.
6. Brace yourself for this one. We all need to give up our smart phones. Not only are they divisive and addicting, but highly-energy consuming. Everyone is always running around looking for a plug for their phone. No one ever talks about the huge energy production that is related to hundreds of millions of cell phones always churning energy consumption. It seems on its face an odd proposal, but I am willing to do it. I think that the leaders of the climate change movement should voluntarily step forward and sacrifice their own phones as a sign of commitment to the cause. After all, if we don’t do something we are going to all lose them anyway.
7. We only have 99 nuclear reactors. We need to triple that number in the next 20 years. Nuclear power is extremely effective, a reasonable cost and clean. The fact that we have only 99 reactors currently in place is anti-science. The same people who clamor about the issue of climate change caused the delay of full implementation of nuclear energy. As opposed to some of their proposals, this technology is readily available and becomes more efficient all the time. Building these reactors would also be a huge stimulus to the economy. We currently provide energy to an estimated 60 million homes from nuclear; tripling that would be a huge reduction of dirty energy sources and a win for saving the environment.
These ideas put in place would make a major move toward reducing greenhouse gases and saving the planet while being the least invasive in our lives. So I say to AOC, what do you think of that? I am now the Boss.
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