If I’m not a super hero, who will be?How the US can become a global

super hero, in two easy steps.

By: Reggie McMillian, Letta Johnson and Beth Theve

The issue is very simple: We are poisoning the air, water and land we live on

with the harvesting of, byproducts from and pollution caused by non-renewable energy sources.

80.4% of US Energy comes from non-renewable sources.

59% of this energy is used for transportation and industrial needs.

The remaining 41% is used for residential energy.

If we replace these three forms of energy use with

If we replace these three forms of energy use with

sources of clean, renewable fuel, we could

sources of clean, renewable fuel, we could

drastically reduce our need for foreign oil and would

drastically reduce our need for foreign oil and would

practically eliminate our over-production of harmful

practically eliminate our over-production of harmful

green house gasses.

green house gasses.

Sounds Easy, but…What do you suggest?

Suggestion number one Ethanol

Already being produced by many countries around the world, including our own.

Uses resources that might otherwise have been wasted. Corn, Barley, Sugar, Wheat and others

Cars were originally designed to run on ethanol! When Henry T. Ford considered that gasoline was less

expensive, he redesigned his engines to use it. Henry Ford didn’t understand the price we would pay by

destroying our environment. We do!!

Two Kinds of Ethanol E10 – 10% Ethanol, 90% Gasoline

Can be safely used in any car, doesn’t require engines to be replaced or special equipment to use.

E85 – 85% Ethanol, 15% Gasoline Needs special engines to be used.

Flexible Fuel Vehicles

Ethanol does have critics: Takes 29% more energy to produce than it provides.

(So does gasoline!!) Gets burned up faster than gasoline.

US Department of Energy says cars burn 1.4 times as much E85 per mile as they would gasoline.

(Whoopity Do! That’s not a big difference!) US Government does not want to import ethanol, but to create

it by itself. US provides 40% of the world’s corn supply Ethanol creation would raise prices of not only human food

products, but also livestock feed Don’t care about corn as a food source? Think about how many

products contain high fructose corn syrup to make them cheaper. Think again.

But we say: SO WHAT?!?SO WHAT?!?

If the US would allow importation of Ethanol, the world’s corn supply wouldn’t be affected at all.

Ethanol produces less CO, CO2, hydrocarbon and non-methane hydrocarbon.

Gasoline mixed with ethanol burns cleaner, leaves fewer deposits, keeps intake valves clean.

Even though ethanol only provides 66% of the energy of an equivalent amount of gasoline, it burns cleaner, is healthier for our world, and is better for engines.

We’re talking about still having a world to live in. The human body can only survive temperatures in excess of

105o for a limited time. It’s going to be 90o today. Want to guess what it will be in June 2020?

The Super Hero Step One Replace all gasoline usage in the US with

E10 by the end of the year 2007. Pass Federal Regulations that cars sold in

the US after 2010 must be able to burn E85. Unless they are powered by another renewable,

non-polluting fuel source, like solar or hydro-cells

Replace all E10 with E85 by 2015.

Right! Now the cars are cleaner…

What’s next?

Industrial and Residential Energy Needs

Represents 32.5% of our country’s energy use – almost one third!

Is currently fueled almost entirely by oil, coal and natural gas.

Sometimes fueled by nuclear fuel, creating toxic waste and thermal pollution.

Clearly, this must be addressed!

Suggestion number two? Wind Energy

Ready and available every day of the year. Been used for centuries on a small scale.

Instead of windmills, we use turbines Already being put to use to a limited degree around the

world. 20% of energy in Denmark, 9% in Spain, 7% in Germany

created by wind energy. It’s use has quadrupled around the world between the

years 2000 and 2006.

Wind Energy also has critics… “But…but…but…they’re ugly! I don’t want

that in my back yard!!” “The birds are going to fly right into those

things and die! What about biodiversity!! You’re killing unique species!!”

“Personally, I think they’re kind of cool looking!”

~ Beth Theve, 06/04/2007

The Debate Rages On The PA Secretary of Conservation and Natural Resources

wants to erect wind turbines in public parks. “We’re facing a global crises on climate change. We can’t have

our cake and eat it, too. Sitting wind turbines on public land is an imperative, not an option.”

But this suggestion has not been warmly received. The Chairman of the House Environmental Resources and Energy Committee for one, does not like it. “Those lands belong to the people of Pennsylvania, pure and

simple. Pennsylvanians revere their wild places, and they should always remain a part of our psyche. I don’t think the grandeur of the Grand Canyon of Pennsylvania should be sullied by wind turbines.”

We’re wondering how much “grandeur” will be left

We’re wondering how much “grandeur” will be left

when global warming has killed all the plants in wild

when global warming has killed all the plants in wild

places, and animals have starved to death or been

places, and animals have starved to death or been

killed due to lack of shelter. Jus’ sayin’.

killed due to lack of shelter. Jus’ sayin’.

A wolf in sheep's clothing… Meanwhile, some organizations that appear to

have the world’s interest at heart are really lobbying for big oil and against renewable resources. They tug at heart strings, and misrepresent findings. “If wind power is to be a piece of our energy puzzle, it

should not be at the expense of wildlife and other natural resources. Given the alarming mortality rates at wind facilities in West Virginia, Pennsylvania, New York, among others, it's time for the industry to accept responsibility for the adverse impacts.”

We’re sure that animals die near coal plants and

We’re sure that animals die near coal plants and

mines and near nuclear facilities where there is

mines and near nuclear facilities where there is

temperature pollution and sometimes toxic waste

temperature pollution and sometimes toxic waste

leaks, as well. Oh, and by the way, as temperatures

leaks, as well. Oh, and by the way, as temperatures

rise and trees and plants die off due to drought,

rise and trees and plants die off due to drought,

there’s going to be a lot more dead birds than will

there’s going to be a lot more dead birds than will

die near a wind farm. Again…jus’ sayin’.

die near a wind farm. Again…jus’ sayin’.

But we’ve always used coal! It’s true – throughout history, coal has been burned

to provide a constant source of energy and electricity. The US consumes nearly 10 billion tons of coal each year. Coal use rose 25% in a three year period ending in 2004. As far as we know, there may be enough coal on earth to

continue using it as a source for the next 300 years. It’s efficient! It’s cheap! We understand it! YAY, COAL!

Coal kills. Miners die all the time pulling the coal out of the ground for us to

burn. Coal produces 178% CO2 emissions per Unit of Energy. New studies indicate that 24,000 people in the US die every year

due to the pollution around coal burning power plants. 22,000 of those deaths could have been prevented by requiring plants to

install currently available pollution control technology, or…you know…by NOT USING IT!

It’s not just killing the people who live close by. 20 million Americans have asthma today. The prevalence of asthma increased by 75% between 1980 and 1994.

It causes acid rain. No, it won’t burn your skin. But it will damage trees at high elevations,

damage forest soil, accelerate the deterioration of building materials and paints, kill wildlife in lakes, streams and rivers…

Here’s what we say… SO WHAT if turbines aren’t pretty?!?SO WHAT if turbines aren’t pretty?!?

If green house gas emissions aren’t drastically altered, many delicate species will die from global warming…including us!

Wind turbines are safe, powerful machines capable of capturing massive amounts of readily available, free, renewable energy and turning it into electricity.

There’s a very low cost of investment, no risk of pollution, and they harness an unending source of energy.

Regardless of humanitarian or aesthetic concerns, we are talking about addressing a global issue. It cannot be ignored.

The Super Hero Step Two Build wind farms, using any land available to us

and as much of it as we need to build a sustainable resource for energy and electricity.

Stop using coal, oil, gasoline and natural gas as quickly as possible, with a goal of having less than 5% of our total energy usage being supplied by these products by 2030.

Provide tax credits to companies and residents who will use wind power, and to anyone who will allow turbines to be installed on their land.

We have the technology. These two simple changes, made over time, could

decrease the green house gas emissions in the United States to almost negligible levels.

As the producers of 5.5 metric tons of CO2 emissions per person, the US has an ethical responsibility to change its behavior.

Turning off lights and using less water when you’re brushing your teeth, while great efforts, are not big enough. As a country, we have to make drastic changes, and we have to make them nownow.

Help the US become a global super hero! Become an active consumer.

Put your money where your mouth is…buy environmentally friendly.

That means go looking for E10! If we buy it, more people will provide it. Supply and demand!

Buy green tickets from your energy company.

Write to your power providers and demand cleaner fuel.

Become a super hero citizen. Write to your politicians. Tell them that

clean energy and global warming are IMPORTANT.

Put your vote where your mouth is – vote for politicians who have a history of fighting for the environment.

Make it a major concern! Remember Republican/Democrat won’t

matter if there’s no place on earth left for us to debate it!