Spring Break
If global warming never happened
Daniel Gibson-Reinemer
Issue date: 8/28/07 Section: Opinion
If global warming never happened, many of the changes we make in response to its threat would still make sense.
Adapting our lives to reduce climate change means being more efficient, innovative, conscientious and just plain smart.
Much of the skepticism surrounding global warming stems from fear of economically devastating measures needed to curb emissions.
However, leading responsible lives does not translate to hardship. In fact, many steps to combat climate change can actually help individuals and American competitiveness.
If global warming never happened, more fuel-efficient cars still make sense. This yields the immediate benefit of cleaner air in major cities from Denver to Beijing.
It's also just more efficient. Extracting deposits halfway around the world, refining crude oil and shipping the product across oceans takes massive infrastructure and resources.
Try plugging your car into a solar panel on your roof instead. Tesla's new car allows you to do this and still go zero to 60 in under four seconds (see www.teslamotors.com).
Finally, aggressively pursuing fuel-efficient vehicles weakens some of the worst governments on the planet. Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez will have a tougher time becoming a dictator when we put less money in his pocket.
If global warming never happened, increasing energy efficiency is still common sense. It saves households money each month and involves virtually no sacrifice.
If nothing else matters to you, this should be enough motivation to go green.
One of the easiest steps is to install compact fluorescent light bulbs in your house. These bulbs require less energy and save money on monthly electric bills.
If global warming never happened, research in alternative energy sources remains one of the smartest investments we can make. These technologies will be profitable soon and for a long time to come.
Further, it's the quintessentially American thing to do. The history of American enterprise centers on innovation - making products better, more efficient and providing greater services. Alternative energy can do this.
Adapting our lives to reduce climate change means being more efficient, innovative, conscientious and just plain smart.
Much of the skepticism surrounding global warming stems from fear of economically devastating measures needed to curb emissions.
However, leading responsible lives does not translate to hardship. In fact, many steps to combat climate change can actually help individuals and American competitiveness.
If global warming never happened, more fuel-efficient cars still make sense. This yields the immediate benefit of cleaner air in major cities from Denver to Beijing.
It's also just more efficient. Extracting deposits halfway around the world, refining crude oil and shipping the product across oceans takes massive infrastructure and resources.
Try plugging your car into a solar panel on your roof instead. Tesla's new car allows you to do this and still go zero to 60 in under four seconds (see www.teslamotors.com).
Finally, aggressively pursuing fuel-efficient vehicles weakens some of the worst governments on the planet. Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez will have a tougher time becoming a dictator when we put less money in his pocket.
If global warming never happened, increasing energy efficiency is still common sense. It saves households money each month and involves virtually no sacrifice.
If nothing else matters to you, this should be enough motivation to go green.
One of the easiest steps is to install compact fluorescent light bulbs in your house. These bulbs require less energy and save money on monthly electric bills.
If global warming never happened, research in alternative energy sources remains one of the smartest investments we can make. These technologies will be profitable soon and for a long time to come.
Further, it's the quintessentially American thing to do. The history of American enterprise centers on innovation - making products better, more efficient and providing greater services. Alternative energy can do this.
Viewing Comments 1 - 4 of 4
Boxorox
posted 8/29/07 @ 2:53 AM MST
True.
With national and world populations reach such huge levels now and what we can expect in the future, many of the basic, daily changes which are called for in response to global warming do make sense. (Continued…)
Michael
posted 8/31/07 @ 8:08 AM MST
Dan -- You're making an extremely important point. The move toward greater energy efficiency and cleaner technology is vital to our national security and our health, both of which have a huge impact on our economy. (Continued…)
Promotional Products
posted 11/16/08 @ 2:54 AM MST
If global warming never happened then we would have all lived in a beautiful, quiet and without any stress world. But I think it would have been boring. (Continued…)
Bucky
posted 11/18/08 @ 3:33 PM MST
All those things make sense Daniel, they're just (as usual with this topic) selected points that only tell part of the story. China, India and much of the industrialized world is dwarfing us in carbon emmissions. (Continued…)
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