In the 1960s, the dream was to put a man on the moon and, lo and behold, it was done. In the 80s, technology began as the underdog, only to see its enormous growth in the 90s. Now, it's 2007, and, though the United States has done great things up until this point, for some reason, we cannot seem to be able to muster up the courage to become energy independent.
Yes, energy independence is the craze these days. Well that is, it is crazy to some and necessary to others. The United States remains at a standstill in this area, while other countries realize the future of new energies and are moving forward. Why has the United States not progressed with the times in this area? That question remains unanswered and places yet another at the forefront, what will happen if the United States does not become energy independent in the near future?
As the gas prices increase, so do the profits of major corporations that lead this industry, but, as we all know, an industry's movement is always related to the movement of other industries. Companies like General Motors are moving forward at a slow pace, but have said that they plan to be producing half of their annual vehicles with E85 or bio-diesel energy by 2012. E85 ethanol is a blend of 85 percent ethanol and 15 percent gasoline, which can be made mainly by corn. Another new fuel source is fuel-free propulsion, which is an electric vehicle. Lastly, hybrids, which are become more common today, are a form of a hydrogen fuel system. It's great that GM, along with other auto makers, are pushing forward to new heights in energy independence, but the question remains: why has the United States not taken this seriously?
Think about it. Say that we don't need to go this route to new fuel systems and that our government decides to remain using only gasoline. What will happen to transportation, as the price of gas increases what seems to be every minute?
Will people just stop driving all together, thus purchasing fewer vehicles? Use less gasoline? Make no more road trips, and form a new way of life in this tourist driven society? What is the real effect of not being energy independent?
Now, look at the other choice. Total energy independence.
Where vehicles using more hydrogen, E85 and electric sources producing less toxic in the air and no more need for trips to the Middle East fighting for better deals on gasoline. It is as simple as knowing when to throw in the towel and go in a different direction. If new sources will be used to fuel vehicles, starting off in the middle by using E85 ethanol, maybe the agricultural industry can survive for a couple more years. The blueprint will be created to allow the United States to join in with countries in South America, Europe and Asia and begin using several sources of fuel will be one of simple evaluation.
At its core, it is deciding if the United States wants to support itself or rely on others to do what it should have been doing for more than 10 years. In fewer words; go green.
Rodney Henry is a senior marketing major and can be reached at rmh2n@mtsu.edu.
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