LONDON -- After our eight year Bush and G.O.P. led holiday from reality we now find ourselves years, perhaps even decades, behind Europe in everything from waterless toilets to efficient cars and mass transit.
In our Cold War days, we could never be behind the Soviets in anything, usually arms related, as the defense establishment made big money catering to American paranoia.
Forget the Soviets. These days we're more likely to have Luxembourg kicking us in the rear end. EU countries have pushed hard on the Green front. There is an explosion of new technologies and gadgets here, made by countries and businesses great and small, from efficient solar arrays for the dashboard which power small devices, to the development of hybrid diesel-electric vehicles that will boast 80-100 mpg in the not too distant future. On construction sites electric-assist vehicles move quietly saving fuel and urban ears. Even quiet, efficient, low-emission leaf blowers that are hybrid electric/gas are in use.
Hit hard by fuel consumption decades ago, they have had a long time to build solutions and expand upon research and development only in its infancy in the U.S., and likely to be aborted by the Defense/Oil-backed Republicans in Congress.
Waterless urinals are pretty much a given throughout Europe, as are energy efficient lights.
Pret, a UK restaurant chain, boasts that it can recycle 96% of the wastes from its stores. It even provides a small drain to pour liquids out to maximize recycling of the materials in the cups.
Most cars and trucks in Europe get better mileage, and make do with less oil-related product, than do their U.S. counterparts.
Mass transit projects do not get the same kind of all-stops out fights sponsored by your friendly oil and auto companies as they do in the U.S. New city rail (subway/elevated), light rail, and high speed rail all find a fast-track into common use.
Buildings are getting bold energy-efficient designs that maximize natural light and energy efficiency, and minimize indoor pollution.
The dumb thing is that many global companies like G.M. and Ford have already invented that more fuel-efficient and carbon-reduced wheel, yet, for some strange reason, we can't seem to get those vehicles in the U.S.
I drive an Audi TDI quiet turbo-diesel which gets about 46 miles to the gallon. It took three months to get one, but it floors even the best mileage of the Greenies favorite fleet: The Toyota Prius. VW and Audi have been the only ones to bring in such cars, and only a limited range of vehicles.
For the car lover, though, it also has something else: Great handling and acceleration. If the fear of American car manufacturers is that we will turn our noses up at green cars because they aren't agile and zippy, I invite them to go to an Audi dealer and see what Green and powerful looks like.
It's not that we don't have the technological prowess to develop advanced technology. DuPont is developing the next generation of oil-free plastics and the technology to make hydrogen power a cheaper reality. Many small companies have development next generation wind energy and hydrogen and solar power for everything from the car to the home.
These projects are moving at a snail's pace, or get bought off by those opposed to them to either shelf them for some future date or kill them outright.
The companies that have been making money off of traditional power, motors, and the fuel that powers motion and electricity have no interest in seeing us get off of their gravy trains just yet.
In Europe, there is the political will to incentivize both the development of green technology and green living. Anyone from the Right who says we shouldn't do that should explain why we incentivize their energy and manufacturing buddies instead.
It's a matter of priorities. In spite of Mr. Obama's cheerleading though, the power and money behind this lobbying of Congress continues unabated. It is too easy, particularly in election years when the majority leader in the senate is under fire politically, to put the brakes on any forward motion on energy efficiency.
If we really want things to change, from energy to other life issues, perhaps closing down K Street would do more to bring the modern world that Europe enjoys to our shores. Americans are apathetic and don't contact their congresspeople about green issues. As long as they don't have a powerful lobby, there will be no change, because money talks in Washington.
Progress costs money. We just have to spend it on the right priorities.
Without a Green PAC of NRA-like strength, we will probably flush our future, and a good chunk of the planet's down our antiquated toilets and aging infrastructure.
My shiny two.
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BTW, my 2007 Toyota Prius regularly gets an 58 mpg which includes significant highway driving. Just keep it at 55MPH and start your trip early. (Current mileage: 101,589. I drive a lot for work.)
Correct. There are subsidies now, there could be more. But the biggest priority is Wall Street's Cap and Trade. Cap and Trade cannot pass on its own, so it must be hidden in a bill called "comprehensive." That is Bush's trick, now adopted by Obama. Obama's very first move, within 24 hours of his election, was to announce to the world America would go to cap and trade and Joseph Kennedy would be the front man.
So, if a new bill on renewables passes, as you want here, what can be later used to hide cap and trade? Nothing. Cap and trade cannot pass now because most people think global warming is garbage or exaggerated, which happens to be the truth. Most people like the idea of energy independence. But cap and trade must be parasited to other causes, like energy independence, to have any chance. Therefore, the Democrats, took their orders from Goldman, JPMorgan, and such, and put kibosh on energy bill in hopes later it could be used to pass cap and trade. Then the story Republicans made us do this was made.
It is the politics of the matter. Cap and trade is the big money. It can only pass in a comprehensive bill. Therefore, your ideals were thrown into the garbage pail, for the present, until they will be resurrected later to hide cap and trade.
You do not mention the word "climate." Good. Don't you suspect?