Article: 4 Bold Ideas to Make America
Summary: This article indicates that there is a new way to view our “energy crisis” These author characterize an “energy transition” between the types of energy used and the way we produce it. We cannot rely on imported oil being 42 % of our trade deficit, nor fossil fuels being 95% of carbon emissions. The four ideas are to reengineer the grid around electric vehicles. The author argues we need to integrate our electric grid with the transportation infrastructure, so that electric cars can help reduce our carbon emissions. Some of the savings to the system will be to provide incentives to have people charge their cars during off hours, so that electric companies will be using green, less carbon dependent fuel to make the electricity. The technology to enhance the efficiency of batteries is coming of age and cost of these types of cars will decrease.
Reaction: I really liked this article because as I have indicated before I like creative ways to solve problems. Rather than just trying to use less gas or less fossil fuels this assumes we will use at least as much energy as before but we will be smarter about it. We will be using electric cars that are better on emissions and we will build an infrastructure that allows people to charge their cars and do it at non-peak times when costs are less and the fuel used to produce the electricity are more from sun/wind or nuclear. We would not only improve pollution but make great headway on our dependence on foreign oil. This reduction in trade deficit means that the country will have less debt which will stimulate the economy further.
Questions:
1) Would employers be willing to help employees charge cars at would by building parking lots connected to their electrical grids, if they were allowed to vary the electric power draw based on when they could get energy cheaper?
2) Could we get politicians of both parties in Washington
3) What responsibility does government have in trying to retrain the people who would be displaced by the decline in oil use? That is with less refineries and gas stations how do we convert those jobs into a whole new industry?
Reaction: This sounds like a great solution! It is creative, fun, and can really benefit the environment. I liked the part in the article that discussed electric cars because I think that electric cars could be a great soultion to our environment problem. They work just as well as gas powered cars and produce less pollution. It is also a good idea to offer oeople incentitives to "charge" their cars. This is a good way to male more people want to use electric cars. When I am able to drive, I will most likely purchase an electric car to help with this environmental movement!
ReplyDeleteExpansion: I found this article about electric powered cars.
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/05/06/automobiles/autoreviews/the-battery-driven-car-just-got-a-lot-more-normal.html?_r=1&ref=electricvehicles
Reaction:
ReplyDeleteI think this solution is fantastic! It is such a creative idea that can be evolved into a smart financial and green plan for cars. Even though we already have some electrical cars, it would not be a enough to begin seeing the change in healthy environments. I think that if this follows through we would save money and help the planet become a greener place.
Questions:
2) I think that if a lot of people from each party agree with solution i don't see why we wouldn't be able to get both sides to agree. However, there may be a few conflicts here and there causing laws to be altered so it fits into the other side's beliefs. This might mean that instead of all gas stations being replaced they keep about half of them.
Reaction: I think it is a great way to size down our emissions as long as there is a good enrgy source to get the electricity. So we aren't using as many fossil fuels to make all this electrcity(now that everyone is driving the cars) as we would burn using just regular cars. Otherwise it is a great idea that would cut our foregn oil dependsity and emisssions. But would paying for all this electricity be cheaper than gas or more exspensive?
ReplyDelete1: I think that would be a great idea and i would hope they would be, they might be able to work out some deal with the employee maybe the employee pays the company for it or they subtract from his paycheck,
Reaction: I think that this is a great and creative way to reduce harmful emissions, and I agree with Jaynie and Corinne about it being creative and fun. I am glad to see people are making an honest effort to help the environment by making alternative and clean fuels.
ReplyDeleteExpansion:
This is an article showing alternative ways to power your car that are even being used today.
http://webecoist.momtastic.com/2009/01/31/7-alternative-fuels-and-alternative-fuel-powered-vehicles/
Questions:
2) No, as convenient as that would be, it is highly unlikely that America would completely change our infrastructure to wean off of oil.
1) What are some more ways to reduce harmful emissions?