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There have been many natural disasters that have occurred in our country over the years, but happened during hurricane Katrina has really stuck with most of us for the years it has been since the tragedy happened. It could be that for the first times we really saw how devastating an event such as this can be because of the hours and hours of news coverage that it had. It was a part of our lives for months as we watched the residents of New Orleans and so many other towns try to get their bearings and recover.

During the storms we watched in anticipation of how bad it was going to be. It exceeded all expectations as we were able to see how many people were driven from their homes and the rescue of those who did not make it out in time and became trapped on the rooftops and even in the water itself. There were people hanging on to trees for dear life. We saw the horrible conditions that refugees were forced to live in at the stadium because they had no place else to go and the government could not respond fast enough to keep everyone supplied with adequate food and water.

This is when so many volunteers came from all over the country bringing everything they could to bring aid to these thousands and thousands of these flood victims. The water damage was everywhere and it was not possible for the refugees to go home even after the water receded. In many cases they were depending on the volunteers to help them renovate and repair their homes, that is, if they had a home that could be salvaged at all.

The supplies that were brought in by churches, other organizations, and individuals were badly needed in the months to come. The clean up work that the volunteer performed was so helpful in getting neighborhoods back in habitable condition. There were doctors and nurses who dedicated their time to help those who were injured and ill because in some cases the hospitals were either damaged themselves or could not accommodate everyone.

For those who did not get a government trailer to temporarily call home, there was simply no where for them to go. It was amazing how people from other states opened up their homes and took in entire families to live with them and help them to begin a new life in a new place. Some people that had rental homes donated their use to some of these homeless families to use until they could find jobs and do better for themselves. Sometimes human kindness knows no bounds during disasters like these, it is just a shame that it takes devastating events such as this to bring out the best in some of us.

Rachel Yoshida is a writer of many topics, visit some of her sites, like
Atlanta Water Damage Restoration and Florida Water Damage Restoration.

Carbon Offsetting involves paying an organisation to neutralise the climate impact of your own activities, thereby making those activities “carbon neutral” or “climate neutral”. Some offset schemes focus on reducing future emissions by, for example, giving out low-energy lightbulbs in the developing world or buying renewable electricity credits. Others focus on sucking CO2 directly out of the atmosphere - usually by planting trees.

The planting of trees clearly has a positive effect in the fight against global warming: the destruction of rainforests across the tropics is a significant contributor to climate change, accounting for roughly a fifth of recent human produced CO2 emissions. Tropical forests hold nearly half of the carbon present in vegetation around thew world. When they’re burned to clear land, the trees, soil and undergrowth release CO2. In addition to the CO2 from the fires, bacteria in the newly exposed soil may release more than twice the usual amount of another greenhouse gas, nitrous oxide, for at least two years. Brazil’s National Institute for Amazon Research estimates that deforestation puts four times more carbon into the atmosphere than the nation’s fossil-fuel burning does.

Rainforests also coll the climate on a more local level, their canopy helping to trap moisture and allow it to slowly evaporate, providing a natural air-conditioning effect. When the rainforest has been slashed and burned over large areas, hitter and dryer conditions often set in, although the exact strength of this relationship is difficult to quantify. Across eastern Brazil, where nearly 20% of the Amazon rainforest has been destroyed, 2005 saw the region’s worst drought in a century, perhaps related to changes in the nearby Atlantic and to rain-suppressing smoke from fires as well as to the deforestation itself.

Yes, despite it being one of the more populist approaches to tackling global warming, tree-planting has also become one of the more controversial - especially in the context of carbon offsetting. It’s true that trees soak up CO2 as they grow. Two or three dozen can be enough to absorb an entire household’s emissions. However, at snow-prone higher altitudes, trees can actually accelerate climate change, according to a 2006 study led by Govindasamy Bala of the US Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. That’s because their CO2 absorbing benefit is outweighed by the impact of their dark colour, which in wintertime absorbs sunlight that might otherwise be reflected to space by bright snow cover atop barren ground.

In snow-free warmer climates, and especially in the tropics and subtropics, the dark colour of trees isn’t a problem. But there are other catches. First, when a tree dies, much of its stored carbon returns to the atmosphere. So the offset will only be permanent if each tree planted is replaced by another - and so on. Second, there are quicker, cheaper and longer lasting ways to fight climate change, such as distributing low-energy technologies to displace fossil fuels.

For all these reasons, many offset schemes have switched from tree-planting to energy-saving. That said, unless you live in a snowy region, planting a few trees in your garden is still unlikely to be beneficial for the climate - at least for the crucial coming decades.

A separate, and altogether more pressing, approach is protecting the forests that are already standing. That’s not so much because of the CO2 that mature forests absorb. It’s because deforestation, and in particular the destruction of tropical rainforests, is one of the very largest sources of greenhouse emissions.

James Nash is a climate scientist with Greatest Planet. Greatest Planet is a non-profit environmental organization specialising in carbon offset investments. Greatest Planet’s website can be found at www.greatestplanet.org

James Nash is solely responsible for the contents of this article.

Its no small wonder why scooters are so attractive to riders in the U.K. With the credit crunch problems in full force as well as petrol and diesel prices continuing to climb, sales of scooters rose almost 5% in June alone. In fact, the price of petrol is currently up to 117.6 pence, and diesel is up to 130.5 pence. Many people are making the transition from cars to scooters. Having lower insurance and tax rates than cars is another great benefit of riding scooters. We shall now take a more in depth look into more benefits of riding scooters in the United Kingdom.

Using scooters to navigate through towns and cities is a great way to get around in the U.K. If there ever is a problem or traffic jam, you have the ability to weave in and out of traffic to avoid it. Also, scooters are very good economical investments. For example, they are fairly inexpensive to buy, you can more easily find parking, parking is free and in relation to cars, fuel costs are nominal. In fact, a research group performed tests on scooters and their petrol consumption. They drove the largest, most fuel-guzzling scooter with a 125cc size engine for 150 miles per week. They concluded that it would cost you around 420 pounds per year to fuel the scooter. Not to mention the fact that, unlike a car, the scooters environmental impact is minimal. Additionally, bicycles, motorbikes and scooters have been exempted from the congestion charge in London.

Another benefit of riding scooters in the United Kingdom is that it is better than public transportation. Trains, for example, are limited by the fact that not every town or city has a station there. Not to mention what you might have to pay just so you can get to a particular train station. Tickets may be fairly costly, depending on what time of the day it is. Then you must wait and hope it doesn’t get cancelled. You must then repeat this same process on your way home. Buses, on the other hand, may be a bit better. The downside of riding buses is that they seem to go slow and stop frequently. And again, just like the trains, you are hoping that every bus shows up on time. Having taken all of this information into account, it seems that riding a scooter would allow you to travel more efficiently while using your own timetable.

Scooters are great for people who want to minimize their environmental footprint. Seeing as how cars have been such a popular form of transportation in the U.K. for so many years, many individuals believe that it is time for them to be more environmentally responsible. As cars have polluted our atmosphere and guzzled our fuel, scooters and mopeds would have the opposite effect. In fact, since scooters are smaller and lighter than cars, they use a very small and insignificant amount of fuel. This means they will also emit far less amounts of carbon dioxide as well. Not to mention your petrol costs will significantly decrease, too.

Author helps people find the best deals on Lambretta Scooters and Lambretta accessories in the United Kingdom.

So, scientists and researchers, even the President have told us that using the water for your gas was friendly to our world, but many of us wonder why. I mean sure, toxic fumes aren’t getting into the air, but why else? I did some digging and here are the facts. If you are anything like me, you might be reading the chemical descriptions of what happens and why this is better than that. Trust me; it’s a bit confusing, I know. So, let me break it down for you people like me. Here are the true reasons that this is better for the environment.

We all have learned for years that trucks, buses, and cars give off pollutants that help the already polluted air that we all breathe. This is carbon that is coming out of the vehicles we use. How many of us have been behind or walking by a car as the car puts off a horrid smell from the muffler? We all have and whether you’re like me or not (I have asthma) we all cough and choke on those toxic fumes as our bodies can take only so much of the carbon that is blown into the air in those big clouds of black smoke. Scientists believe that the more that these pollutants are reduced the more Americans who won’t be diagnosed with lung diseases such as asthma or chronic bronchitis. Call it your own little air purifier for those you love and maybe don’t even know! Just think of New York and other places like that that will be a much happier place if people started converting their water in exchange for gas. It’s a win win situation for everyone. You just don’t know!

Another way that you’ll be helping is you’ll be reducing the cause of fires. How many of us have gas in the car because we are so forgetful and thus forget to fill the car on the way home. Or we’re stubborn and say we can wait just a little further. Gauges don’t read accurately on some cars and due to the gas that sits around in garages or even the gas cans that still have the residue one wrong match as has happened way to often and poof! Up in smoke it all goes. There are too many things that go wrong with the use of gasoline for cars. Maybe it is time for a change to prevent some things from happening. What do you think?
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Did you know that you can convert your car to a water-burning car? You can run your car on water, supplemental to gasoline, to increase your car’s fuel efficiency and reduce your fuel costs significantl
Works on gas or diesel powered cars, vans, trucks, and SUVs.

With the recent push towards local, sustainable eating, Austin residents are lucky to claim quite a few local farms. Many of these farmers bring their freshly harvested produce in to town periodically as part of one of the farmer’s markets located throughout the city. Not just produce, Austin’s farmers markets also feature locally made products such as cheese, tamales, breads, jams, soaps, and other handicrafts. With live music, entertainment for the kiddos, and an air of celebration, these bi-weekly events provide sustenance for the spirit as well as the body.

Austin Farmer’s Market: With two locations, this aptly named market is held on Wednesdays from 4PM to 8PM, and Saturdays from 9AM to 1PM, year-round, rain or shine. A growers-only market, all of their produce and products are grown or produced within a 150 mile radius of Austin, and produce farmers make up at least 51% of their vendors. An offshoot o f the Sustainable Food Center, a local 501 (c)(3) nonprofit, the market is an important extension of their mission, to improve access to local, healthy and affordable food for children and adults in Central Texas. A unique feature of this group is their Chefs’ Circle - a group of well known local chefs who periodically present cooking demonstrations at the Market. (Triangle Park, 4600 Guadalupe - 46th Street between Lamar and Guadalupe, AND Republic Square Park - 4th and Guadalupe)

Sunset Valley Farmer’s Market: Claiming “The Spirit of the Farm in an Urban Setting” this weekly market is festival-like in atmosphere. With farmers, artisans, bakeries and restaurants all hawking their wares, shoppers are just as likely to get lunch as they are to get their weekly produce. Live music, face painting and inflatable slides and jumping structures make this an attractive destination for families. Held in the parking lot of the Toney Burger Center just east of Brodie off of Ben White, this weekly market is held on Saturdays from 9 to 1:00, year round, rain or shine. (3200 Jones Rd, Sunset Valley, TX, 78745)

Boggy Creek Farm: Although this market is held at, and features produce only from one of Austin’s premier organic farms, it merits inclusion in this list due to its expansive offerings of things other than produce. Boggy Creek Farm provides local, organic produce to many local restaurants, and at their Wednesday and Saturday morning market, also offers local cheeses, breads, and other carefully selected products to the general public. The eggs from their free-roaming chickens go early, but the chickens remain strolling about to delight the kids, who can also take advantage of a small play area with farm-oriented toys. (3414 Lyons Road, Austin TX 78702)

South Austin Farmers Market: This small but tenacious market features local produce, and occasionally local products may be offered as well. Held on Saturdays, year round from 8AM to 1PM, they are located in the parking lot of El Gallo Restaurant on South Congress Avenue, across the street from St. Edwards University. (2910 S. Congress Ave, Austin, TX 78704)

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Local authorities in popular tourist destinations are beginning to take matters of environmental protection into their own hands. Governments and nonprofit organizations are banding together in the fight against pollution. Efforts to sustain tourism to favourite destinations without harmful effects to the local environment, as well as culture and social interactions, are the main focus for the most recent campaigns.

Mallorca Promotes Environmental Protection and Tourism

In order to maintain sustainable tourism in the Balearic Islands, Mallorca - often known as Majorca - is promoting a campaign that promotes environmental protection. Environment friendly tourism in heavily visited areas is important for the overall atmosphere of tourist areas.

Island tourist locations tend to take more abuse from tourism than most other areas. The new campaign, developed by Palma’s Tourism Institute, IMTUR, is called ‘Palma, Responsible Tourism.’ The World Tourism Organization also supports the initiative. The primary goal is to encourage tourists to be more environmentally responsible in Palma.

A few of the programme’s objectives are:

* To educate tourists and residents on water consumption.

* Promote Palma and Mallorca as a prime tourism destination that places emphasis on protecting the environment and the Mediterranean.

* Encourage environmentally safe tourism once tourists arrive.

* Decrease carbon levels and air pollution from vehicles.

* Increase energy awareness and introduce energy conservation practices.

This isn’t a comprehensive list, only examples of what tourists can expect from the ‘Palma, Responsible Tourism’ campaign. The programme includes incentives, activities, competitions and a cycling event available to all interested tourists. Palma Town Hall will donate 1 euro to the campaign for every tourist that takes part in activities related to the campaign.

Other Environment Friendly Vacation Locations

Palma’s campaign is new to the Balearic Islands. The general idea, however, is not new to other tourist destinations around the world. Whether it is referred to as ‘environment friendly tourism’ or ‘ecotourism’ the end result is the same.

The general idea is to introduce tourists to recycling and other activities that will help sustain tourism in their favourite destinations. In protecting their favorite vacation spots, tourists also help to protect neighbouring rivers, streams, wildlife and communities from potential harm caused by pollution.

Similar campaigns exist in the Caribbean. One development firm was quoted as saying sustainability is ‘finding the right balance between the need for development and the need for environmental protection.’

Overdevelopment of a destination can lead to a drastic downfall of the quality of vacations available to tourists. Locally owned shops and fisheries on the Caribbean Islands have joined the efforts to help combat the negative effects of mass tourism.

Resorts and hotels on Malta promote environment friendly tourism by setting a high standard for their guests and employees. Water and energy conservation are very high on the list, as are reuse and recycling.

Employees and guests are urged to turn off lights in rooms that aren’t being used and to ensure water has been used conservatively and turned off when not in use. Recycling bins are placed in hotel rooms, and guests are encouraged to use only environment friendly, recyclable containers.

Environment Friendly Hotels and Resorts

Each passing year sees more hotels and resorts join the fight against pollution. Environmental agencies have begun offering initiatives and awards to hotels and resorts that go the extra mile to protect the environment. The very environment they seek to protect is the one that draws more tourists to their location year after year.

Several U.S. ski resorts have earned awards from environmental protection agencies recognizing the work they put into protecting the environment and local forests. Their efforts include using environment friendly cleaning products and recyclable take-out boxes, cups and flatware, as well as encouraging reuse of linens and towels and composting kitchen scraps with wood chips for use in landscaping. In all, eight U.S. ski resorts were recognized by Clif Bar & Company for environmental excellence.

For more information about Majorca including cheap Majorca flights and holidays on the island see yourmajorca.net

They have a real estate and Majorca property section which includes both to rent and for sale Majorca villas

Corporations and individuals are doing more to protect the environment, but it is still not enough. The natural world is in a state of crisis that calls for action. If you are concerned about environmental causes, you can use custom T shirts to get people more interested.

One thing you will want to choose when designing a shirt for your earth-friendly cause is something with a prominent green color. The actual shirt could be green or the shirt could be another color with a large green emblem. This is important because the universal color of the environmental movement is green.

You might belong to a local group of ecologically-minded people. You can all get custom T shirts to wear to support your ideas. The focus might be on replacing fossil fuels with solar or wind energy. Your group might be concerned about clear-cutting of rainforests. Whatever the causes you wish to support, you can wear your shirts to show others how you feel about them.

You may be able to set up a design for anyone to use if you go to the right online shirt store. The message and picture could be of your own choosing. Then, you could advertise to direct individuals to the site to buy their own matching shirts to take part in the organization activity. Soon you would see your earth-friendly ideas being expressed all over town; and perhaps all over the world.

It is sometimes possible to get support from corporations with local offices. There are several ways companies can help. They can increase awareness by having a green week. For that week, employees will be asked to work on projects that help the cause. Anyone who completes their project could be given a shirt recognizing their accomplishments.

Corporations can also be given a chance to sell custom T shirts with an environmentally sound message. The corporations would foot the bill for the basic cost of the T shirt, and the employees could chip in an amount they choose to donate to the cause in order to buy the shirt. In this way, funds can be raised to do some activities such as building zero energy homes or researching alternative fuels for cars.

When corporations get in on the act, they can have a profound effect on individuals. They can encourage their employees to think about the world around them. Businesses can set up brainstorming sessions on how to clean up the land, streams, and air. If everyone is given a custom T shirt for their efforts, they will take more pride in the part they have played on the panels.

If you want to get the word out that everyone needs to think about the earth’s natural environment, you need tools to do it. A shirt can be such a tool. You can bring about a change in people’s attitudes and awareness when you share your designs and custom T shirts with them.

Ron Subs works with Sonic Shack as a public relations consultant, more information about Sonic Shack can be found at www.sonicshack.com

Wouldn’t it be nice if we could all do something to help with global warming? Actually, wait a minute, we can! You would have to be on a different planet not to know about how bad global warming has become. You only need to take a look out of the window to observe the ever increasingly unpredictable weather. The weather is becoming so bad that natural disasters are becoming more frequent and causing more death and destruction than ever.

Why is it important for us to change the way we live?

As you know, the earth as we know it is damaged. The way we humans have lived has taken its toll on the planet and because of it, global warming is causing things to happen that shouldn’t happen. Icecaps are starting to melt and as a result, species of animals are becoming extinct.

So what can we do it about it?

The problems we humans have is that we are naive by thinking how can one person wasting electricity or doing something else along the same lines cause this much damage? Well, this may only be your thoughts, but then how many other people think if I do this it will not do any harm? Before you know it, a lot of people are doing the same thing and it all contributes.

So, if you are not sure what to do, assess the way that you live. Basically, do you leave lights on when you do not really need to? Just by making little changes, you could be doing your part to help save energy.

Smart houses could be a reality

There has been a call to produce smart houses that eat their own rubbish and power themselves up. The government’s chief scientist, Sir David King, is overseeing this project that plans to design these smart houses that can withstand the conditions of the 21st century. It is thought that the homes need to be wireless so it would need to draw any energy that it can from its own environment, whether it be solar or wind energy.

It could be a fair few years before this can happen, but in the mean time, the government is constantly trying to find new ways to help reduce carbon emission and other things. New methods include taxing people for the amount of rubbish that they have and they are trying to also encourage people to recycle more of their rubbish instead of throwing it away.

Why not change the way that you live today by switching off lights, or by trying to find other ways of saving energy. Together, we can help to make the changes needed and to try to help the planet repair itself. If nothing is done, things will just becoming a whole lot worse and it may get to a stage where nothing could be done whatsoever anymore.

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Bristol Airport has come under fire after plans were revealed to use land at a mushroom farm in Langford for Bristol Airport parking. Members of Churchill and Langford Parish Council voted unanimously to oppose to the scheme and refuse the application. Developers Bristol Park and Fly submitted an application for a 1200 space car park at the site in order to increase Bristol Airport parking for the increasing number of passengers.

The reasons why people are opposing the increase in Bristol Airport Parking are because of concerns over light, noise and pollution. Bristol isn’t the only airport to come under fire recently as more and more airports across the UK plan to add runways or build new terminals. This has caused debates and campaigns from environmentalists, local councils and residents living close to the airports.

Many feel that instead of increasing the number of car parking spaces that the airport should encourage people to use busses and trains which are more environmentally friendly. Campaigners think that by making Bristol Airport parking so easy people are going to choose to drive to the airport and with the number of cars passing through the airport every day, pollution caused by the airport is going to be at an all time high.

Local residents are also worried about the increase in the amount of traffic that will be caused by extra facilities being created for Bristol Airport parking. More parking facilities means that more people are going to be using their cars so obviously this means that there is going to be an increase in the amount of traffic in and around the airport. This means that people living in Bristol are going to have to sit in more traffic when going on journeys.

Winscombe and Sandford Parish Council voted against the plans for extra facilities for Bristol Airport parking and are planning to send a letter of objection to North Somerset Council. Many people are also worried about the danger that extra traffic is going to cause to the farm near the airport. Many are worried that the pollution and noise is going to have an effect on the animals as well as the increased risk of animals getting hit by drivers who are in a rush to catch their flight.

Those who are campaigning against the car park are hoping that the local authority will consider the needs of local residents rather than be driven by political motives.

Help Me Park provides safe and secure meet and greet parking at 23 airports across the UK. bristol airport parking has all the information you need to help you find meet and greet parking at your required airport.

In America today the average price of gasoline has skyrocketed past $4.00 per gallon with no end in sight. Oil prices have doubled since the end of 2007 with $200 per barrel conceivable within months. Still, no one seems to have a solution. The government is inept, and only seems willing to add to the problem rather than solve it.

If the Congress had any concern for you or me they would lift all Federal gas taxes to help us out. That would cut out about 15% of the price per gallon of gas. If they had any concern for us they would allow us to drill for oil within the United States. They would allow more refineries to be built. They would approve clean, cheap, nuclear power.

Instead, politicians have done nothing except talk about idiotic proposals to tax oil company profits. That will only raise gas prices further because the oil companies sure aren’t going to give away their profits and make less money. They will pass on the cost of tax increases to US, and probably 3-4 times the amount they lose from increased taxes.

The bottom line is we cannot trust useless politicians to change anything. We have to do it ourselves, and force idiot politicians to go along with it. Like it or not. That would be change we can believe in.

It would be great if we could all plug in our electric cars tomorrow, and never use a drop of gas again. However, we can’t. We need to build a bridge to energy independence that will not bankrupt us. In the short-term we need cheap oil to keep our cars and trucks on the road. As new technologies develop over the next ten years we can shift to electric and hydrogen fuel cell vehicles. We could then realistically no longer need oil for any transportation by 2020.

How do we build the bridge, and how do we force oil prices down by 50-60% in a matter of weeks?

It’s already begun. American Solutions, a group started by former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich, has begun an online petition asking Congress to allow us to “Drill Here, Drill Now, Pay Less.” More than a million people have already signed the petition. Poll after poll shows that Americans overwhelmingly support domestic drilling for oil to lower prices.

Those opposed to domestic drilling argue that even if Congress approved domestic drilling tomorrow, it would be 2-3 years before that oil would get to market. They argue domestic drilling will do nothing to lower oil prices because the global market sets the price of oil.

Wrong. In the last few weeks since gas went over $4.00 per gallon in the U.S. the people of America started making their voices heard. They want something done about the high price of gas, and they want to see action now. We have also started driving less, which has decreased demand. Just the notion that Americans are angry, and want something done has already prompted the Saudis to announce they will increase production. They also held a summit of oil producing nations to discuss the “crisis” of high oil prices.

Just the threat of possible Congressional action to allow domestic oil production already has the Saudis spooked. If Congress actually took action the real source of high oil prices, the speculators who make money trading oil futures, would begin to dump their oil future holdings. They would know that domestic oil production in the United States would reduce the future price of oil significantly. That would drop the price of oil on the international market by 50-60% almost immediately.

To insure that oil prices stay low for Americans Congress should demand that all oil produced in the United States only be available to the American market. It is conceivable that we could produce enough oil domestically to supply 80% of our consumption needs within 3 years. Some believe there may be enough oil in shale in the Rocky Mountains to supply all domestic oil needs, and even have a surplus. If American oil was only sold in America the price would likely be in the $30-$40 per barrel range. That would bring gas prices down to a reasonable $1.50 per gallon range.

Now, that is the bridge. This is not a permanent solution. No matter how much oil we can produce in the U.S. it will only last for a finite amount of time. It would be foolish to think that even if we had 40-50 years worth of oil that we should just wait until it runs out to replace it as an energy source. Not to mention the environmental impact of continuing to burn fossil fuels. We need to develop clean, renewable sources of energy.

Another provision Congress should include in allowing domestic drilling is that oil companies invest 15% of their profits in new energy sources. Rather than tax oil profits, which does nothing except put money in the government coffers to be wasted on nothing, Congress should demand those profit dollars be spent on developing new, clean forms of energy. The oil companies can then transform themselves over the next decade from oil companies to energy companies. We will need the oil companies’ massive infrastructure to deliver these new sources of energy, and the government cannot demand the oil companies spend money to put themselves out of business.

The most important investment would be to begin replacing one or two gas pumps with hydrogen refueling pumps. The hydrogen fuel cell car is already a reality. They are being sold in Japan, and tested in Southern California right now. The hurdle is that no one wants to buy a car they can’t refuel at the station down the street. If hydrogen pumps began to appear at local gas stations all over the country, the demand for hydrogen fuel cell cars would grow exponentially. This would drive down the price of hydrogen fuel cell cars, and of hydrogen fuel.

Automobile manufacturers would make more hydrogen fuel cell vehicles, and more hydrogen pumps would be added. Over the next 10-15 years there would be no gasoline powered vehicles made anymore, and the term “hydro station” would replace “gas station.” The massive investment in hydrogen and other forms of energy would not just be for automobiles, but for jet engines as well. Air travel would be transformed with clean fuel sources, and air planes would be built with lighter, more fuel efficient materials. We would be free of fossil fuels for transportation.

What about energy to power our homes and businesses?

Congress also needs to approve new nuclear power plants to supply electricity for our homes and businesses. Nuclear power is cheap, clean, and now more than ever safe. The country needs 50-60 such facilities to handle the power needs of today, and to prepare for the power needs of the next 50 years.

Another solution to power needs is solar and wind power. It is unlikely that massive solar or wind power facilities will ever be effective sources of power for millions of customers. However, solar and wind power can be effective power sources for individual homes and small businesses. The major hurdle today is cost. A single wind tower costs up to $50,000 to install. Solar panels are not as expensive as in the past, but are still expensive enough that many homeowners are not able to easily afford them.

The solution is for Congress to approve tax incentives for homeowners and small businesses to install solar or wind power. By allowing a tax incentive of up to 75% of the cost of a wind tower or solar system homeowners and small businesses would be far more likely to install such systems. Such incentives would create a massive reduction in demand on the major power grids. This would then make these grids more capable of handling spikes in demand during summer months, and make the grids easier to maintain and upgrade.

These rather simple steps, if enacted now would make the United States completely energy independent by the mid 20’s. We would also be green and clean, which would benefit the environment immensely. Further, we would be the leader in clean energy development, and the rest of the world would follow, as they always do.

Demand that Congress take action now. YOU have the power. Let your Senators and Representatives know that if they don’t support building a bridge to energy independence you’re going to fire them. Forget which political party they belong to. This is not a Democrat or Republican issue, this is an issue that affects our very future. Stand up, take action, and forcefully demand that Congress and the President take action NOW.

Ted Hebert is a writer and Maverick Thinker helping companies of all sizes grow their business. He is also committed to clean, energy independence. He can be reached at Ted@Atunga.com or visit www.Atunga.com. Also visit www.BridgeToEnergy.com.