Blog Action Day: On Energy Production

Now that global warming has been accepted as a fact by most people, shouldn’t we all agree that we need to change the way our energy is produced?

Then why is it that we still have to listen to this “We don’t want to hurt our economy” crap?

What?

I’m not asking this from an ecological point of view, but from an economical one. The market for renewable energy is already there. Neglecting it means you are hurting your economy.

In 2000, the German government adopted a law that requires electricity grid operators to pay a higher price to providers of renewable energy than they do to providers of traditional energy.

Some of the results so far: Cloudy Germany is the world leader in solar energy production, supplying around 50 percent of the world’s solar power-generated electricity. German companies export photovoltaic components all around the world, and created 10,000s of new jobs.

Imagine the same thing happening in the United States, a country that actually has desert areas.

Solar energy is just one of many ways to produce energy without using limited resources. Wind power, water power or geothermal energy are also great ways to cover the world’s growing need for energy while reducing the emission of greenhouse gases.

Why?

China, India and a lot of other nations are experiencing an extreme economic growth. While it is, of course, great to see more and more people not having to live of one dollar a day, this prosperity comes with a heavy price tag: Consumption.

The amenities of a better lifestyle often lead to a higher need for energy. If we, as a global society, don’t manage to supply this need in an ecofriendly way, we are really screwed. But hey, maybe that problem will take care of itself.

China is, in it’s own way, the most capitalistic country in the world. Once they see a market in renewable energy, it’ll be nearly impossible to compete with them, unless you’re products are far superior.

Who?

We, the more economically developed countries, have to set an example. If we see a problem, we should analyze it and develop ways to correct it. It doesn’t matter if you think that global warming isn’t real, that the problem’s overrated, or you simplay don’t care. You have to realize that clean energy is a multi-billion dollar industry, that the companies in your country should try to dominate. If not for the sake of ecology, than for the sake of economy.

Waiting to see what happens doesn’t get you anywhere.

This post is completely off topic, I know. But every now and then you have a reason to talk about something completely unrelated to your blog. Blog Action Day is one of those reasons.

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Tags: economy, energy, environment