Bush's Energy Non-Policy for the Suicidal and Terminally Stupid President Bush's new energy policy assumes we are all fools with a death-wish. There is nothing new in drilling Alaska till it hurts and in building more nuclear power plants. This new energy policy is the same short-sighted BS that has gotten us in environmental trouble and into war. Let's look at the facts. Sucking Alaska Dry There really isn't that much oil in Alaska. How much? Well, look at it this way. Alaska contains less oil than we'd have saved by sticking with the EPA automobile mileage guidelines modified in 1980s. When the Regan administrations lessened these EPA requirements, the auto makers stopped producing more efficient vehicles. This one dumb move has consumed more than all the oil in Alaska. Drilling Alaska only postpones the inevitable, destroys Alaska, and pollutes us all in the process. We need alternatives to oil burning, not more oil. More Nukes No one is building new nuclear power plants. Nukes under construction are being decommissioned. The reasons for this are simple: One, no one knows what to do with the radioactive leftovers. Two, the nukes operating now are more expensive and have more down-time than any other type of power plant. Three, when the Washington Public Power System (WPPS) failed financially, it took the entire nuclear power industry with it. The third reason is what has really stopped nuclear power. The WPPS bonds (AAA rated municipals) went from valuable to worthless in a single day. Wall Street is suing a substantial portion of the West Coast over the default of these bonds. Bottom Line here is that no one will finance new nukes because they are financial disasters. Let us give thanks for small favors because if nukes were cost-effective, then we'd have to deal with their radioactive waste. And no one has the answer to that. Something Else? Yes, we want something else! We're tired of the same old dreck that is visibly poisoning our planet and picking our pockets. We're ready to do whatever it takes to give this planet a sustainable energy future. And here's what it takes Use Renewable Power Sources Make power from sunshine, wind and falling water. There are between 30,000 and 50,000 households now doing this in America. These home power producers have their own power company. No monthly bills, no black outs, and no pollution. Conserve Electricity If you can't get your power from a renewable source, then conserve every watt-hour. Use efficient appliances. Turn off appliances when not in use. Be aware that the cost of grid power is much higher than your electric meter shows. Treat every watt like it will come back and bite you- because it will. Coal, nuclear, and oil power plants all extract a high price from our environment. Drive Clean Keep your vehicle in top shape. Drive only when necessary. Drive slowly. Keep your tires pumped up. Use an electric vehicle. Demand that government and automakers produce emission-free vehicles. Then buy one and smile when you drive it. A Green Dream Green certainly, but this is no dream. Look at the articles in this issue alone. These are people who are living the Green Dream. Check out Huckleberry Homestead on page 6, they're doing it. Check out the electric car on page 85, they're doing it. If we just plain ole' regular folks can accomplish this on our budgets, then government and big business has no excuse. It's a dream until you decide to live it... Richard, Karen, Kathleen, Stan, Bob-O, the Wiz and the rest of the HP Crew.