Why doesn’t Denver have an organized energy plan to foster and improve the area’s energy usage? U.S. history has proven our strength in times of trouble – World War II, increase in production, disovery of the polio vaccine, even indoor plumbing advances. So why can’t we see the energy crisis as something worth solving? Energy is in our face and nothing will affect us as greatly as losing natural resources. Denver must start with conservation. Driving out PeCB1a Boulevard to DIA has always been a pleasant experience for me. But notice how bright those lights are at night. Huge, cloverleaf exit ramps covering at least two acres are lit like prison grounds. I’ve got lights on my car and to the best of my knowledge there’s no history of grass theft in the area. I purpose that we either turn off the lights completely or at least dim them. For the money we spend every night lighting empty asphalt we could be lighting more crime-ridden street corners. This would not only reduce crime but also save the state money on law enforcement.But conservation is only a stepping stone to energy independence. The real changes will come through innovation and total system overhaul. Nonrenewable sources have been gathering the sun’s energy for millions of years – we’ve managed to burn them all in a few thousand. It’s not that easy to light an office building without electrical power – let alone the whole block. Another way to conserve is to encourage public transportation. Not many people want to give up their car but America could save a lot of gas if a small percentage did.Fossil fuel shortage will be a huge factor in our future and that of our children’s. British Petroleum wants us to forget what is happening by running a commercial with violins in the soundtrack and telling us they’re drilling the country for natural gas and that “it’s a start.” What if we had funded fuel cell research instead of Iraq? We’d probably be richer. We wouldn’t need the region for dominance and we could have helped Iraq with cheaper power and free cable. Free cable and newspapers will create reform in any country – and your local newspaper won’t kill you.You want good jobs after college – go into energy. The problems will reach epidemic proportions in the coming decades. We’ll need ways to keep that TV on, transportation available, air travel, lighting, boating, the list goes on and on and on. Everything must be changed, revamped and made more efficient. Burning some oil to make electricity is old hat – we need twice the power from a tenth of the source. It’s time for America’s young minds to look into energy – you will be rewarded handsomely.
