Breaking the Bonds

I was provided an article from the new issue (Mar/April 2012) of Foreign Affairs Journal that was very intriguing. This essay laid out in one fell swoop what can be done to reduce our dependence on fossil fuels, and how we can transition over to cleaner energy technologies. The essay's author, Amory B. Lovins, draws upon innovative brainstorming and newly available technology to make the case that we can successfully - and pretty painlessly - switch from an economy dependent on fossil fuels to an economy that is buoyed up by clean, efficient, and renewable energy production.

This essay resonates well with reason and it shows us that this is doable. The beginning of the essay points out this was done before in American history when we switched from whale oil for fuel to the fossil fuels. Innovation and brainstorming breed solutions to the tough problems we face. As the essay points out, we have the technology and the know how today to make these changes, and it doesn't have to be an economic apocalypse that follows.

As we combat those companies who are protecting their own interests, we must take heart knowing that we have solutions that are just waiting to be used. We have the solutions, we just need to be heard and allowed to proceed. Sweden is doing it. Germany is doing it. The UK is doing it, as well as several other nations. Success is around the corner, and soon we will no longer be slaves to the fossil fuels.

How Do You Deal With Illogical Thinkers?

A very interesting news article was posted yesterday on The New York Times website. It was also re-posted on msnbc.com. It deals with a very specific issue concerning various individuals and groups who are linking up with the Tea Party over green projects being instituted by local and state governments. These groups are fighting the implementation of green initiatives adopted by the government on the basis that these projects are part of larger plan by the United Nations to take over the world. Their view is that the U.N. is bent on world domination and will take away our freedoms, and they will do it by encouraging green technology being used by federal, state, and local governments as a means of spying on the people.

Now, you need to read the New York Times article to really appreciate the length of time these groups have been about this business, what some of their specific concerns are, and how they have been gaining momentum with the help of the Tea Party in the last two years. It is a bit scary to me, even though their numbers may be small, how these individuals can be this reckless in their reasoning and their claims. Everyone has a right to their opinion and point of view, and I'm sure they found some sort of basis for their claims, but I am baffled by this. This very loud minority of individuals is gaining sway with an even louder Tea Party that wants to stop any further implementation of government backed "green plans". Many have dismissed the Tea Party, and many more have dismissed these groups afraid of a U.N. take over, but even the Times article points out that they have started to actually become effective because we haven't taken them seriously.

My question is how do you deal with these people? They are obviously not thinking in reality, and no matter of reasoning with them will make them see the error of their logic. However, we now know that we cannot just ignore them, because they are starting to cause chaos in the move to a more sustainable and eco-friendly future. I have absolutely no idea how to deal with this problem. We need to think of a solution, because we risk the chance of having a "greener" future derailed by people who view global warming as a hoax and the U.N. as an evil "Orwellian" empire-in-the-making. Let's brainstorm this for a bit, and will someone in the smart think tanks of the nation also take this up and help develop a solution? We cannot let crazy and unfounded claims guide our society or the human race. We risk our future and we risk our lives by giving into such misinformation and falsehoods. This much is clear from the last three years though, we cannot just dismiss them, because they will cause massive damage. Developing a good solution to deal with these groups is the only correct course of action.