To many Americans the rolling blackouts in California and skyrocketing
prices for heating and automobile fuel prove that the country is in the grip
of an energy crisis.
To solve the “crisis,” President Bush wants to probe
our national lands for new oil reserves, build more power plants (and decrease
emission standards of those already online), dirtying our environment and
furthering our national addiction to oil.
But there are alternatives, even in Tennessee. A coalition of 20
environmental groups recently sponsored a cross-state tour of conservation and
alternate energy programs to prove the United States has options beyond an
increased dependency on oil.
“President Bush could get up there and preach about
conservation or alternative energy and America would listen,” says Jeff
Barrie, part of the energy tour. “But he is an oilman and a businessman
and he’s going to choose options that support his interests.”
The energy tour took off from Memphis in two cars — a fuel-
efficient Saturn sedan and a sport utility vehicle — to highlight the
disparity in gas consumption on America’s highways. The Saturn got 33 miles to
the gallon, compared to a little over 21.7 for the SUV. Barrie says that while
technology to increase fuel efficiency has improved over the years, our gas
mileage average has actually decreased since 1988 due to the popularity of
larger vehicles.
The energy tour’s first stop was Shelby County’s Macon Elementary
School, where a student-led conservation effort saved the school $300 on its
February power bill. After learning about energy and conservation in their
science class, teacher Jane Hobson says the students attended a speech by the
secretary of energy, who gave them the title “energy ambassadors”
and information about how to cut consumption at their school.
“They got T-shirts and went around the school doing spot-
checks, getting teachers and students to turn off computers and lights,”
Hobson says. “They would leave little happy- or sad-faced stickers for
good and bad uses of energy.”
The students are also angered at the thought of disturbing the
caribou living in Alaska’s 2-million-acre Arctic National Wildlife Refuge
(ANWR) when other cleaner, more sustainable options are available. Barrie
agrees, saying the U.S. Geological Survey estimates the oil field in the ANWR
would provide only about 3.2 billion barrels of oil — less than a six-month
supply for America at our current rate of consumption.
Another school the tour visited in Dyer County was equipped by
the Tennessee Valley Authority with solar panels as part of its pilot program,
Green Power Switch. The program is a success; the solar panels provide two to
three times the power the school needs.
The tour also stopped at Johnson County High School to link
alternative energy resources, the economy, and the environment. The school’s
geothermal system taps the constant 53-degree temperature several feet below
the earth’s surface to lessen heating demands during the winter and cool
buildings during the summer. The system has resulted in significant energy and
cost savings, says teacher Kenneth McQueen. The school is paying only $400 per
month as opposed to the $1,000 per month it spent using only propane.
“America’s energy solutions are here in East
Tennessee,” Barrie says. “Geothermal technology holds tremendous
potential in reducing America’s energy demands with minimal impact on the
environment. Drilling in the ANWR is not an energy solution, and I hope that
Senators Thompson and Frist can see the alternatives. If we invest more in our
clean energy resources, we’ll keep our economy strong, create more jobs for
Tennesseans, pay less to heat and cool our homes, clean our air, and meet our
energy needs.”
In Chattanooga, Advanced Vehicle System, Inc., is designing and
building buses that use an electric motor combined with natural gas or diesel
fuel to produce what Barrie calls “the cleanest bus in the world.”
In use in Chattanooga and all over the world, the buses not only use fuel more
efficiently but reduce the need for automobiles.
At a gas station, of all places, Barrie says he met a man using
underground temperatures to air-condition houses, which costs up to 70 percent
less than traditional methods. The system uses large copper pipes buried in
the yard to channel cool air and can pay for itself in energy savings in only
three or four years.
The energy tour also looked at companies making more efficient
fuel from corn, fuel-cell technology, and super-efficient lighting. Others in
Tennessee are using passive solar architecture, harnessing energy from the
wind, and exploring the use of hydrogen as a fuel, according to Barrie.
While individuals and companies throughout Tennessee and the
nation are pursuing smart energy solutions, getting the federal government
involved would help the U.S. wean itself from its oil dependency sooner,
Barrie says. The federal government could turn the tide in energy consumption
by simply promoting conservation and providing tax incentives for renewable
energy industries.
Instead, Bush’s budget proposes a $200 million cut in renewable
energy alternatives, enriching oil investors and executives while the majority
of Americans foot the bill.
“Right now we are at a turning point,” Barrie says.
“We can foster a rate of energy consumption that’s not sustainable or we
can pursue other options. The energy crunch might be bad today, but I see a
harsher future in 10 or 20 years when our oil reserves begin to dry up.”
You can e-mail Andrew Wilkins at letters@memphisflyer.com.
