Clean Water Currents|Online, Winter 2009, Volume 37, No. 1

The expression used to be "What's good for General Motors is good for America" but current events suggests that expression may need retiring.

While we watch our financial markets and the economy melt down, we continue to accept public policy decisions that prevent us from making the most important economic breakthrough in our history.

It's a fact: The country that achieves breakthroughs in generating clean, competitive renewable energy is the country that will dominate the world economy for decades.

It's as simple as supply and demand. The world needs energy. We've been relying almost exclusively on fossil fuels. Fossil fuels are becoming more expensive, more difficult to obtain, are damaging the planet and are creating geopolitical instability. The concentration on this very flawed energy source is driving the world to seek other choices that are more available, less expensive, less harmful to life on earth and not subject to power struggles between nations.

In 1981 when Ronald Reagan became president, the nascent effort to develop solar energy and other renewables was essentially de-funded in the United States and we lost decades of research and development in this field. It is apparent now from the breakthroughs that are emerging in solar technology that this was a foolish decision for the environment and the economy. Most wealth generated from manufacture of solar hardware is concentrated in Germany and Japan, not here.

Many innovations are now occurring in clean energy technologies. The smart venture capital money is headed in this direction faster and more strongly than it fueled the dot com boom in the 90s. Unlike the dot com boom, clean energy technology is much less vulnerable to a boom/bust cycle because it is nearly as essential to the way our civilization works as food and water. The Internet and computer revolution was highly desirable and has brought us great leaps forward in many ways. But as a fundamental necessity of life, computer technology is far less crucial and sought after than inexpensive, clean energy. Everyone is impacted by energy generation every day.

There is no sector that is better positioned to stoke our economic engines with jobs. Jobs that make a better world, jobs that make a better living for people. As impressive as the gains in clean energy technology are, we are only beginning to see the level of innovation, creativity and entrepreneurship that is about to explode. We can pull ourselves out of the deep financial hole we have dug by investing in and encouraging the development of clean, renewable energy. We will be stronger, more secure and healthier when the engine driving our economy is energy generation that does not require devastating environmental and health consequences, war and financial hardship. The opportunity is there, the potential is real. Will our leaders lead us to the certain prosperity and security that we see before us, or will we have to lead them. Either way, some country will seize the initiative. And that country will be a true leader among nations.

 

In this issue of Clean Water Currents|Online:

What's Good For the Environment is Good for America
The expression used to be "What's good for General Motors is good for America" but current events suggests that expression may need retiring.

While we watch our financial markets and the economy melt down, we continue to accept public policy decisions that prevent us from making the most important economic breakthrough in our history.

It's a fact: The country that achieves breakthroughs in generating clean, competitive renewable energy is the country that will dominate the world economy for decades.

Wet 'N Wild: Changing How Water Works For Us
For most of us, our great water system is both out of sight and out of mind. The system, however, has become a huge industry that binds huge sections of our country to the old centers of our cities and back to the life-giving rivers that run through them.

Taking Action Across America
A round-up of Clean Water Action's campaigns on the national and state levels.

Making Our Mark on a New Congress
One of the biggest winners in the November election was our nation's environment.

At every level significant pro-environment gains were made. From the U.S. House and Senate to critical state-level races voters turned out in historic numbers to vote for candidates endorsed by Clean Water Action-elected officials now committed to stopping global warming, protecting America's waters, and building a clean energy future for all Americans.

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