Endependence is energy independence that ends dependence on polluting fuels.

Every barrel of oil we don’t consume reduces the market and political power of nations such as Saudi Arabia, no matter where that barrel would have come from. Likewise, every barrel we don’t consume helps the environment and slows global warming, and whether it is foreign or domestic oil makes no difference. Energy conservation is what’s important. Energy independence doesn’t matter. -By Roger Sant and Michael Kinsley Sunday, December 14, 2008; Washington Post

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/12/12/AR2008121203280.html

Our sentiments exactly, energy independence doesn’t matter.  Energy Independence is politician speak for “we’re not really going to do anything about our energy challenges.”

That is why we are starting a War for Endependence, the key ingredient of which is ending dependence on polluting fuels.

Sant and Kinsley make the point quite well that the only true independence from “foreign oil” or let’s say “foreign oil from countries we don’t like” will come from reducing our oil consumption to the point where we are only using our own oil or oil from countries we do like.

So, how do we use an ever decreasing amount of oil while keeping a vibrant economy and a good standard of living.  The answer is combination of conservation and substituting renewable energy for oil and other polluting fuels.

Plot it out.  Personal, Local, State and Federal.

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Think of this:

You have a state regulated company that sells a product with harmful side effects.

Your state government decides that it is in the public interest to minimize the harmful side effects.

The solution: let the company charge its customers to pay for  the program that encourages the customers to buy less of the product.

Does this make sense to you?

On December 9, 2008, Endependence was at the California “2008 Center for the Study of Energy Markets Policy Conference”.  Policy wonk stuff if there ever was some.  Lots of very smart people working to improve energy efficiency in the Golden State.  Scientists, public policy administrators, academics, advocacy groups, and utilities all got together to figure out ways to craft public policy that will increase energy efficiency (decrease energy waste?).

Don’t get the wrong impression.  California is so far ahead of the rest of the country in the areas of energy efficiency that comparisons to other states are ludicrous.  The average Californian uses about 1/3 of the energy that the average Texan uses.  There are myriad reasons for this, but one of the big reasons is that California has been working on energy efficiency for years.  They even have a bureaucratic department in charge, the California Energy Commission.

http://www.energy.ca.gov/

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