Not much politics here, but I just thought this was interesting because I’ve really never thought about ‘light pollution.’ Living in NYC, it’s almost impossible to see stars. Every time I go to the suburbs, I’m amazed at the night sky. Lots of people and cities use sloppy night lighting. Good lighting seems an easy way to conserve energy, lessen the disruption to wildlife, and enjoy the view!
I once got a ribbon for a crappy science fair project. Maybe if the top prize were $10 million I’d have tried a bit harder. H.R. 5143 just passed the House, creating the new H-Prize to encourage the private development of hydrogen-based energy technologies. The bill was introduced by Republican Bob Inglis (R-SC) and was supported by Science Committee Chairman Sherwood Boehlert (R-NY). There is good precedent for the efficacy of such awards – the first commercial spaceflight last year was spurred on by the $10 million Ansari X Prize. Unfortunately, Boehlert’s retiring this year. He was a good Green Republican.
Import tariffs on ethanol protect Iowa’s corn farmers and limit the cost-effectiveness of importing ethanol from places like Brazil. Tom Delay’s replacement, Majority Leader John Boehner (R-OH) has decided that lowering the tariff would help lower gas prices. Maybe – at least by a little. It’s still a good idea. Farmstate lawmakers on both sides of the isle are resisting, to protect their corn farmer constituents.
I’ve posted about Goldman, Sachs & Co. CEO Henry Paulson before. Now the company he leads is investing $27 million in developing cellulose ethanol technology. Cellulose has considerable advantages over corn and other sugar-based ethanol: cellulose ethanol is produced from agricultural waste, so it doesn’t compete with food crops,and it has far lower emissions.
No one becomes CEO of Goldman, Sachs without knowing how to make money, and I’m sure Mr. Paulson plans to make a good return on this investment. It should be noted, that he’s a big environmentalist Republican, having recently donated $100 million to conservation, and has come up as a possible replacement for current US Treasury Secretary Snow. This is a great example of Republican pro-growth principles merging with environmentally responsible industry.
Socialism is back. Cuba, Venezuela, and Bolivia recently signed their own anti-US trade pact. Bolivia also plans to follow Hugo Chavez’s lead in nationalizing its natural gas plants. Why? Mostly because with rising gas prices, they want to revoke legal agreements with US & other companies to pocket the cash for themselves. This global trend bodes poorly for American companies operating abroad, it is just one more reason to launch a “Manhattan Project” approach toward energy independence and diversified energy alternatives. The GOP would be wise to tie this trend to national security. Venezuela has become increasingly indifferent or even hostile to U.S. efforts in the global war against terrorism. The GOP can win on three big issues: national security, the economy, and environment.
Mr. Democrat Sen. Ted Kennedy (MA) gets a 95% rating from the League of Conservation Voters but is blocking a proposed wind farm that just happens to be 8 miles off the coast of his family compound. Unfortunately, Republican Gov. Mitt Romney also opposes the plan. Point is, sometimes Dems could do better too. I wonder what it takes to get 95%?
Think going green is bad for business? Leading venture capitalist John Doerr doesn’t think so. In fact, he’s pouring $100 million of a $600 million fund into technologies that provide cleaner energy, transportation, air and water. The global market for clean energy climbed to $40 billion last year and is expected to grow to $167 billion by 2015. “…greentech could be the largest economic opportunity of the 21st century,” says Doerr. Sounds like a money making dream for any Republican…
Republican Governor Robert L. Ehrlich, Jr. (MD) recently added Maryland as the eighth northeast state to join the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative. The collective agreement commits participating states to drastically reduce pollution from power plants that produce smog, acid rain and harmful ozone, while capping emissions of CO2. It is interesting to note that the RGGI was initiated by Republican Governor George E. Pataki in 2003. Today, of the eight participating states, four are led by Republican Governors: NY, MD, CT, and VT. These Republican governors understand that long term costs of uncontrolled pollution far outweighs the short term costs of producing cleaner energy. National republicans ought to follow their lead in developing national energy and pollution reduction policies.