Tackling the greatest threat to America's security: Our dependence on fossil fuels
As a retired member of the U.S. Navy and a veteran of Operation Iraqi Freedom, I’ve served in the line of duty in a conflict that was - in large part - about oil.
While I feel honored to have served my country, it is my sincere hope that we do all we can to keep from sending more of our young men and women into harm’s way. America can do this by making the shift away from fossil fuels and to clean, renewable energy and significantly reducing the pollution that causes global warming. We at NPI are urging our Senators, Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell, to honor our veterans by leading the way.
To that end, last week I joined fellow veterans as part of the National "Veterans for American Power Tour" as we held events at the Capitol Campus and near the Space Needle, to ask our senators to fight for a clean energy future.
The climate crisis is inarguably a crucial national security issue. Global warming-related disasters such as droughts, wildfires and hurricanes are already increasing, and even the Pentagon is worried about the political instability those cataclysms create. Moreover, as we draw closer to the day when the world’s oil reserves run out, the fights over what remains will only grow more bitter and deadly.
In these challenging times, we are all painfully aware of the threats to both our national and economic security. Our diplomatic efforts, defense strategy, and economic security are all inextricably linked to our energy policy.
We are sending billions of dollars overseas to pay for oil, leaving us vulnerable to unstable or hostile regimes.
Our oil expenditures in 2008 broke down to equal $1.2 billion every day; $50 million every hour; $837,000 every minute; $14,000 every second.
By investing in renewable energy, we free ourselves from the peril of dependence on foreign oil. Transitioning to a clean energy economy and improving the electricity grid will allow us to get our power from renewable sources here at home.
By reducing our reliance on oil, we not only reduce our exposure to oil-related conflicts overseas, we also give our energy dollars to a growing number of American business that are providing jobs in clean energy and energy efficiency.
If we spend our energy dollars here at home, we can build more wind farms and deploy more rooftop solar panels, creating millions of jobs that can’t be outsourced.
Washington’s clean energy economy is still growing, in spite of the Great Recession. A study by the Union of Concerned Scientists estimated that our state’s current clean energy policies alone could create 2,000 new green jobs by 2025.
Transitioning to renewable power will save us money, too.
According to the Congressional Budget Office, stronger energy saving standards and building codes could save approximately $750 per household nationwide by 2020 and $3,900 by 2030. Policies that invest in renewable energy and energy efficiency could cut the federal deficit by $24 billion through 2019.
This is a cause NPI cares deeply about, and a cause I worked hard to advance throughout 2009. I journeyed to our nation's capital in June to lobby for the American Clean Energy and Security Act (also known as the Waxman/Markey bill) which narrowly passed. I and the team at NPI remain grateful to Representatives Baird, Dicks, Inslee, Larsen, McDermott, Reichert and Smith, for voting yes.
In late September, I participated in the Governor’s Global Climate Summit with Governor Gregoire, who is calling for a stronger response to the climate crisis.
Now our senators have the opportunity to take action. The Senate must pass a bill to address the climate crisis and our addiction to fossil fuels.
America has the opportunity to be a world leader in the new energy economy, taking control of our future and putting Americans back to work while also improving our national security.
But no one is going to take our commitment seriously so long as climate legislation remains moribund in the graveyard of progress.
We call on Senators Murray and Cantwell to push Majority Leader Reid for climate action this year. The challenge we're confronted with is simply too important to be take a backseat to election-year politicking.
While I feel honored to have served my country, it is my sincere hope that we do all we can to keep from sending more of our young men and women into harm’s way. America can do this by making the shift away from fossil fuels and to clean, renewable energy and significantly reducing the pollution that causes global warming. We at NPI are urging our Senators, Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell, to honor our veterans by leading the way.
To that end, last week I joined fellow veterans as part of the National "Veterans for American Power Tour" as we held events at the Capitol Campus and near the Space Needle, to ask our senators to fight for a clean energy future.
The climate crisis is inarguably a crucial national security issue. Global warming-related disasters such as droughts, wildfires and hurricanes are already increasing, and even the Pentagon is worried about the political instability those cataclysms create. Moreover, as we draw closer to the day when the world’s oil reserves run out, the fights over what remains will only grow more bitter and deadly.
In these challenging times, we are all painfully aware of the threats to both our national and economic security. Our diplomatic efforts, defense strategy, and economic security are all inextricably linked to our energy policy.
We are sending billions of dollars overseas to pay for oil, leaving us vulnerable to unstable or hostile regimes.
Our oil expenditures in 2008 broke down to equal $1.2 billion every day; $50 million every hour; $837,000 every minute; $14,000 every second.
By investing in renewable energy, we free ourselves from the peril of dependence on foreign oil. Transitioning to a clean energy economy and improving the electricity grid will allow us to get our power from renewable sources here at home.
By reducing our reliance on oil, we not only reduce our exposure to oil-related conflicts overseas, we also give our energy dollars to a growing number of American business that are providing jobs in clean energy and energy efficiency.
If we spend our energy dollars here at home, we can build more wind farms and deploy more rooftop solar panels, creating millions of jobs that can’t be outsourced.
Washington’s clean energy economy is still growing, in spite of the Great Recession. A study by the Union of Concerned Scientists estimated that our state’s current clean energy policies alone could create 2,000 new green jobs by 2025.
Transitioning to renewable power will save us money, too.
According to the Congressional Budget Office, stronger energy saving standards and building codes could save approximately $750 per household nationwide by 2020 and $3,900 by 2030. Policies that invest in renewable energy and energy efficiency could cut the federal deficit by $24 billion through 2019.
This is a cause NPI cares deeply about, and a cause I worked hard to advance throughout 2009. I journeyed to our nation's capital in June to lobby for the American Clean Energy and Security Act (also known as the Waxman/Markey bill) which narrowly passed. I and the team at NPI remain grateful to Representatives Baird, Dicks, Inslee, Larsen, McDermott, Reichert and Smith, for voting yes.
In late September, I participated in the Governor’s Global Climate Summit with Governor Gregoire, who is calling for a stronger response to the climate crisis.
Now our senators have the opportunity to take action. The Senate must pass a bill to address the climate crisis and our addiction to fossil fuels.
America has the opportunity to be a world leader in the new energy economy, taking control of our future and putting Americans back to work while also improving our national security.
But no one is going to take our commitment seriously so long as climate legislation remains moribund in the graveyard of progress.
We call on Senators Murray and Cantwell to push Majority Leader Reid for climate action this year. The challenge we're confronted with is simply too important to be take a backseat to election-year politicking.
# Posted by Rick : 1:12 PM
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