of coal plants… planting trees instead
of clear-cutting rainforests… increas-
ing efficiency and decreasing our
waste.”
Fred Krupp, executive director of
the New York-based Environmental
Defense Fund, not only is calling for
a sharp reduction in fossil fuel con-
sumption, he has a blueprint for how
nations and their citizens can make
that happen, starting today.
“Tomorrow’s energy will come
from a variety of sources, undoubtedly
including wind, solar power, geo-
thermal and some sources we don’t
even know about yet,” he told Natu-
ral Awakenings. “I recently co-wrote
a book called Earth: The Sequel,
which looks at some of the country’s
brightest inventors and entrepreneurs
who are developing these alterna-
tives. What we really need now is na-
tional ‘cap and trade’ global warming
legislation, which will bring these new
technologies into the marketplace.”
Under such a system, countries
will set a ceiling for global warming
emissions, and then manufacturing
and other companies will have finan-
cial incentives to reduce the pollution
prices.” Instead, his environmental or-
CoAL Carbon-rich coal deposits are
they produce to abide by that ceiling.
ganization would like to see develop-
formed from fossilized plants. Burned
In the market, entities may buy and
ment of a “low-carbon infrastructure”
mostly to generate electricity, it’s still
sell government emission certificates:
to replace the 180,000 gas stations
one of the cheapest forms of energy,
buyers purchase a specified right to
that pump oil in the United States.
but at enormous cost. Opponents cite
coal as the number-one aggravator of
pollute; and sellers that have reduced
their emissions can realize a financial
energy options
global warming and fight destructive
mountaintop removal mining practices
reward by selling their certificates. BIoFuELS Of all plant-based fuels,
that have devastated Appalachia.
Krupp believes that cap and fireplace wood is the simplest form.
trade will be in place within the next Ethanol made from corn has GEoTHErmAL Modern Iceland
two years, no matter who is elected made inroads, due to a 2005 federal heats almost all of its buildings with
president, and that the legislation “will mandate for incorporation of 7.5 bil- hot spring water near the surface
create a cascade of private investment lion gallons of biofuels by 2012. But there. But recent advances make tap-
in new technologies.” an accelerating “food vs. fuel” move- ping into heat energy under Earth’s
Peter Lehner, executive direc- ment objects to concurrent increases crust accessible nearly anywhere.
tor of the Natural Resources Defense in corn prices, while others point out Geothermal heat pumps take advan-
Council, points out that lifting the the energy required to produce corn tage of year-round 50-degree Fahren-
current offshore drilling moratorium ethanol exceeds the energy it delivers. heit temperatures just five to 10 feet
would not lead to any new production Other, better, biofuels on tap include below ground. These systems’ buried
for seven to 10 years, “And even then, those made from sugar cane, jatropha pipes circulating antifreeze liquid can
it wouldn’t significantly reduce energy and algae. both warm and cool buildings.
Pr i n t e d o n re c y c l e d Pa P e r t o Pr o t e c t t h e en v i r o n m e n t 23
Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44