Alternative Energy: A Call for Help, Looking for a 12-Step Plan

When people once capable of rational thought persist in counter-productive and even self-destructive behavior over long periods of time, there are a few possible explanations:

• insanity
• addiction
• greed

Often, family and friends wonder: what will it take to change this? Which 12-Step program is best?

People with experience say that (1) they have to hit bottom, and (2) they have to want to change. (and: nobody ever wants to change)

Thinking globally and citing locally

Coal is dangerous to mine and hazardous to the environment. Black lungs and acid rain. (see, Upper Big Branch and Quecreek Mine)

Oil is dangerous to store (see, Ashland), hazardous to the environment (see, Deepwater Horizon), and most of it belongs to other people who are disinclined to share (see, OPEC).

Natural Gas is dangerous to store, and collecting it through hydraulic fracturing is an ecological disaster. (see, Dimock, PA)

Nuclear power works real well unless until there's a problem and then it's a catastrophe. (see, Three Mile Island)

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Hydroelectric. Works in Nevada. And Pennsylvania.

Solar. Works in Philadelphia and on the North Side.

Wind mills. Work in the Netherlands. And Somerset.

Geothermal. Works in Iceland. West Virginia's thinking about it.

What will it take?

What will it take to get us moving to alternative energy sources? Do we have to wait until Corporations figure out how to sell the wind?

If people don't start acting smart about this (and pretty quickly) I'm going to have to become an environmentalist, and that's really not my self-image. And it's all about me.