Some Ways To End Our "Dependence" On Foreign Oil

The following article was on MSNBC from Esquire Magazine. It contains ideas for solving America's dependence on gasoline made from foreign oil. The ideas are not new; they involve using biofuels, made from a variety of sources. What is new is how to achieve this transition. Here, Gal Luft, presumably an Israeli, and "energy "expert" proposes government mandates, or what he calls an "energy policy" that is not political. Not "political"? I say "good luck"! Actually, we must take a good hard look at these alternative (to oil) fuels, sooner, or later.
Peter

source:

Four Ways to Solve the Energy Crisis
By Tim Heffernan
You hear it all the time: We've got to reduce our dependence on foreign oil; it's a matter of homeland security. Fine. Nobody's arguing. But the solutions that get offered—drilling in ANWR, mandating better automobile fuel efficiency, pushing ethanol—don't really solve anything. They're politically impossible, or too expensive, or contrary to free-market forces. They're losers.

Energy-independence advocate Gal Luft looks for winners. The former lieutenant colonel in the Israel Defense Forces and counterterrorism expert fervently believes that the only way to make America safe is to make it energy independent. And so as executive director of the Institute for the Analysis of Global Security and cofounder of the Set America Free Coalition, he has set out to do just that.

Luft advises Congress and security companies. He briefs industrial and environmental groups. Yet what separates him from other energy specialists are his pragmatic solutions. He doesn't peddle pie-in-the-sky political strategies. He's a realist. He has a single goal: freeing America from the grip of foreign oil. And he wants to do it now. Here are four steps he says we can—and should—take today.

1. Make gasoline-only cars illegal
"Every gas-powered car has an average street life of seventeen years, which means that the minute you leave the lot, you're signing up for two decades of foreign-oil dependence. The easiest way to change this is to mandate that every vehicle sold in the U. S. is flex-fuel compatible so that it can run on just about any blend of hydrocarbon-based fuels—gasoline, ethanol, methanol, etc. The technology already exists, and the process is cheap, about a hundred dollars per vehicle. Detroit will cry about 'government interference,' but in fact the mandate would open a vast new free market in alternative-fuel development."

2. Kill the Iowa caucuses
"Here's the first thing every presidential candidate who visits Iowa is asked: 'Where do you stand on ethanol?' Why is this a problem? Because the ethanol lobby has managed to place huge tariffs on ethanol produced abroad while freezing out the development of other alternative fuels at home. It portrays itself as this sort of savior, the domestic solution to our reliance on foreign oil, but it really just protects a tiny number of Midwestern corn farmers. Anyone who thinks otherwise, bear in mind: Even if every single kernel of corn grown in America were converted to ethanol, it would still only replace about 12 percent of America's gasoline requirement."

3. Think of the world in terms of sugarcane
"America hasn't been very good about making friends in the Middle East lately, but there are still a few countries in Latin America, Africa, and Southeast Asia that like us. And many of them, such as Panama, Kenya, and Thailand, grow sugarcane, from which you can make ethanol at half the cost of making it from corn. We should direct foreign aid throughout the agricultural sector in these countries to increase their efficiency and create jobs. That will make them happy, and it'll improve our national security. They'll be our friends forever. Unlike the OPEC nations."

4. Revolutionize waste
"Sixty-five percent of our garbage is biomass: food, paper, scrap wood. All of it could be converted to methanol. The process has been around for two hundred years. And it's twice as efficient as cellulosic ethanol, supposedly the next big thing in alternative fuels. Then there's coal—America has a quarter of the world's reserve, but we use it mainly to feed power plants, which is a dirty and inefficient use. Instead, coal can be converted to clean-burning methanol for the equivalent of one dollar per gallon. Last, look to recyclables, like black liquor, a toxic by-product of the paper industry. Right now, paper mills inefficiently recycle it themselves. But black liquor can be converted to methanol. Do so and we'd generate nine billion gallons of methanol a year—almost twice the ethanol we now make from corn."

Actually getting this done
"These are only four of many common-sense opportunities throughout the economy, but we're not taking advantage of them, because there isn't a sustainable market for alternative fuels. Yet. Which brings us back to step one: flex-fuel technology. Get that and the other three will take care of themselves. There will be stiff opposition from the oil, corn, and auto lobbies. There always is. But let's hope that Washington can step up for a change. Because once you take politics out of the energy policy, you get very different—and much better—results."

The Hypocrisy Of Our Politicians Is NAUSEATING

This article prompted the following responses from readers. Read it all and let us know what you think. You know I think it's just another example of political drum-beating, making a mountain out of a mole-hill. There seems to be no level too low for our new Speaker of the House. These letter-writers say it better than I.
Peter

Some excerpts from the article:
"Global warming is "one of humanity's greatest challenges," House Speaker Nancy Pelosi declared on Wednesday. She said House Democrats are "working diligently" on legislation to address global warming challenges, and they expect to unveil their proposals by July 4, which she called "Energy Independence Day."

She said the House will lead by example: "It is time for Congress to act on its own carbon footprint," she said, applauding Sen. Barbara Boxer for getting key offices to switch to energy efficient lighting and introducing legislation that will promote energy efficiency in federal buildings.

"We will adopt innovative solutions, such as purchasing 100 percent renewable electric power, ensuring wood for our furniture is sustainably harvested, and conducting a comprehensive review of our recycling initiative," Pelosi said.

"The days of rejecting the science of global warming are over, as are the days of standing idly by." Pelosi concluded with a reference to the Old Testament: "To minister to the needs of God's creation is an act of worship. To ignore those needs is to dishonor the God who made us." Some critics have accused liberal Democrats of putting global warming on a par with religion, just as Pelosi did on Wednesday. "

Some of the response:

Letters to the Editor
May 10, 2007By CNSNews.com Readers
July 4th Has Nothing to Do with Energy Independence
“July 4 Energy Independence Day, my foot! This is the first step in July 4 not being recognized as a national holiday to celebrate the independence of our great country. I can see it now. My great grandchildren will not celebrate July 4 as Independence Day of our country but of energy. That is disgusting. Enough is enough.” (“Democrats Declare July 4 'Energy Independence Day,'” April 26)
Kay C.Denton, TX

“Are they going to outlaw all the carbon-producing fireworks? Maybe they’ll put former Vice President Al Gore in charge of this? Maybe he can shut off the electricity in his energy-wasting Tennessee home.”
Mike C.Albany, NY

“The total hypocrisy and arrogant condescending attitude of this speaker of the house and her fellow co-conspirators is breathtaking! We have Hollywood celebrities, senators and former senators making claims without any scientific credentials, and their comments are taken as the gospel! God and Christianity are completely rejected throughout Congress and our government, and she invokes the Old Testament.

These weasels will stoop to any level to bring forth their agenda. To mock and shame our Independence Day from an abusive government in 1776 is insulting with such a media stunt. This is one American who gave, who served and who will be flying his flag in distress.”
Michael M.Pinellas Park, FL