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Have you ever had to make the decision as to whether to heat your home in the winter or feed your family? Millions of people have been faced with this choice and as energy prices continue to skyrocket, their numbers are growing. As we begin to recognize the end of what was once seen as our endless supply of energy, we have come to "solutions" attempting to extract more resources, mine more coal, create nuclear energy, genetically engineer crops, and more. Not only are these false solutions, but they are having devastating effects not only on the environment, but on the health and safety of the people.

Our current energy system contributes drastically to furthering the socio-economic gap, degrading our environment, and emitting an exponentially-large amount of carbon dioxide gas contributing to climate change. Not only are coal power plants and the likes placed in low-class areas, they are exploitive to the poor residents who frequently do not have the resources to protect their own health or take legal action against the plants. Locally, we are facing the issue of Marcellus Shale Hydrofracturing, to drill for natural gas. People are being manipulated into leasing their land and are not aware of the lifetime side-effects they will face from this decision. The shale drilling is a dirty process, contaminating well-water, using huge amounts of fresh water, polluting the air, and compromising our health, and all for an un-renewable energy source. This is as damaging as coal, yet is being seen as a viable alternative. This is not a solution and will allow us to continue along the path of destruction and greed.

It is clear that, as a population, we have huge energy needs to sustain life as we know it. While it is becoming recognized that we must reduce these needs in terms of efficiency, we must pursue a safe, clean, renewable source of energy for our remaining energy needs. Wind, solar, and geothermal are practical solutions, and what has stopped them from being implemented widely is cost and legislation. Resources are available now for these technologies, but with the huge socioeconomic gap, the majority of the population cannot afford them. Legislation currently is backing the large corporations who are in support of our current dirty fuels.

The shift to renewable energy technology is more than just that, it is a reshaping of our economy. This shift is becoming commonly known as the "green economy". The goals of the green economy include executing clean energy sources, creating standards for energy efficiency, and creating a more equitable economy through green jobs. In turn this will reduce the socio-economic gap in jobs and education, work to alleviate poverty, localize our energy industry, and reduce our environmental impacts to create climate justice. Standards for appliances will be created and weatherization will be accessible to increase energy efficiency. Renewable sources of energy will become available and cost-effective to implement and, through this, we will reduce our dependence on foreign oil. All of this is tied together by green jobs.

Green jobs are occupations specifically designed to address the environment, pay a living wage to workers, allows safe workplace conditions, and create accessible career ladders. These jobs can create opportunities for less-educated workers while giving job security because they can't be outsourced. These jobs exist in the same areas of employment that already exist. In the new green economy, workers will be needed to build, install, and maintain renewable energy sources, implement efficiency standards, act as legal advocates; the list goes on and on. Not only will jobs be gained from this industry (for every one job in coal, fourteen will be created in solar and even more in wind), but they will provide opportunities for people of all educational levels and will be an easy shift.

Since we have enormous energy needs, are facing a current economic and energy crisis, and are seeing more and more environmental effects resulting from our dirty lifestyle, it seems obvious to try and get energy from resources that will be available endlessly. Solar power collects energy from the sun, wind mills from the wind, and geothermal from energy stored in the earth. Solar panels can easily exist on roofs of buildings and be a continuous energy source. Wind mills will be ideal in large, open, undeveloped areas, as well as mountaintops. While people complain about the noise and possible dangers of wind power, the disadvantages are far less than the dangers of our current coal system, the dangers of coal are just less publically shared.

It is obvious that a shift to renewable energy will reduce our environmental impacts and improve the quality of life for many; however, in order for this to happen we need energy legislation. We are living in a dirty world, with poverty, pollution, inequality, and environmental degradation, but our world is resilient, and we must jump on this solution before we reach a point of no return for our climate and our own energy needs. It is our job, as a community, to come together and lobby for energy legislation. As Majora Carter said, "If all of us aren't being lifted up, none of us are." This need for a shift in energy is one of the most important issues of our time and we can succeed.

 

Eliza Sherpa