Thursday, May 13, 2010 | 2:05 a.m.
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I enjoyed Brian Greenspun’s May 2 Where I Stand column, “Wind farm just a seed for global possibilities.” From a physicist’s point of view, we are awash in energy coming mostly from the sun but also from the Earth’s interior and elsewhere.
The key is to find ways to tap this energy for useful work. The problem with hydrocarbon-based energy sources, as we are witnessing in the BP oil disaster in the Gulf of Mexico, is that petroleum is messy, difficult to extract, and has a deleterious impact on our environment — whether from the release of greenhouse gas carbon dioxide, handling accidents, unknown damage to the Earth’s crust (settling issues, for example) or toxic effects on natural ecosystems.
It’s high time for Americans to strive for energy independence by developing and improving on methods to harness the abundant energy in this country. Solar, wind and geothermal sources are some of the many viable options (including nuclear energy) that should be considered and pursued.
By seeking cleaner, less-polluting alternative sources of energy and by collaborating with international partners, we stand a better chance not only to achieve energy independence but also to help resolve the ever-worsening problems with global climate change, which is likely human in origin.
