What Do They Know That We Are Ignoring?

The Story of Masdar

If someone told you they were building a city of 50,000 inhabitants that would be free of carbon-producing fuels, and that would have a zero-carbon footprint, would you think they were crazy? Would you believe they were science fiction writers talking about a new book? Well, think again. In the United Arab Emirates, Abu Dhabi is leading an initiative that would build just such a city.

Yes, a city of 50,000 carbon-free residents would reduce by but a small drop the vast ocean of carbon emitted each year by other nations, but it is still of interest. The point I raise, however, is, what do they know that we are ignoring?

The U.S. is arguably, if not the top end user of petroleum products, at least amongst the top few. We have not made more than a fly speck of progress in weaning ourselves from oil. Yet here in Abu Dhabi, a small nation wealthy in oil, leaders are already looking forward to the day when Abu Dhabi will become free of its own dependence upon oil for energy. For them it is not a question of if, but when. So, I ask again: What do they know that we are ignoring?

There has been plenty of loose talk about how the current Congress is blocking drilling in ANWR, the Arctic National Wildlife reserve, (Not that the Republican controlled Congress of the past years did anything about it, either!) where, according to commercials playing now on TV, it is said that enough oil-based energy is available to keep our nation running until around 2060. But the fact is, we have known for a long time that our dependence upon oil, whether national or foreign, has kept us enslaved to the interests of nations and groups that are do not look favorably upon our nation. Will we be wise enough to use what time we have left to take ourselves off the petro-drug we are addicted to, or will we just squander our time as we have since the gas-crisis of the 1970’s?

Somehow, I doubt we’ll make any better use of our precious time than we did in the past. We just can’t seem to get fired up enough about making the expensive changes needed for the future. And then there’s that nasty word, compromise, which neither leading political party seems willing to engage in so that we might actually do something that is in our nation’s best interest.

Yes, it would take compromise. I believe hydro-electric power is already completely exploited. And although solar and wind power are great ideas, I doubt either will completely fulfill our future energy needs. These sources are all important, but they will not provide enough of what we need.

Now I have to bring up that nasty “N” word: Nuclear.

Yes, there are many drawbacks to using nuclear sources for generating power, but I for one believe that it is a necessary evil if we are to wean ourselves off petroleum products. That is, in my opinion, where I part with my friends on the Left, many of whom believe nuclear power is an option never to be considered. Yet, what choices do we have?

Europe uses nuclear power to a great extent, and has made progress in making it safer and less intrusive. Not far from where I live in Illinois there are several nuclear power plants currently in operation. So far there has been no observable effect on either the people or the environment. Better yet, pollution from coal and oil powered energy sources are nowhere to be seen.

Yes, nuclear waste must be stored somewhere, and that creates a problem, yet even now we are handling it in some fashion. Yes, we will need to find safe places to bury the waste and allow it to go through its lengthy decaying process. Those are all problems we will need to solve, and according to those who want to drill in ANWR, we have only 50 some odd years to solve them.

Compromise used to be an acceptable word in American politics. Today it is called bipartisanship. But that doesn’t really capture the essence of compromise. Sometimes it merely delayed solving a problem, but other times it allowed for great things to be done. Problems were discussed and solutions were hammered out in mutual talks between parties. I am proposing that we call for and demand that our governmental leaders begin at once long term plans to study and hammer out solutions for our energy needs, and then have the political guts to act upon the solutions at which they arrive. Oil is not going to last forever. Blindly ignoring the facts is not going to make the problem simply disappear. We need answers, solutions, and action – now!

Can it be done? Well, far away, in the deserts of the Middle East, someone is doing something. Something positive, it would seem. We should, and must, pay attention, learn and then apply what we learn. Otherwise, I fear, one day, very soon, we will be the third world nation, and places like Abu Dhabi will be world leaders.

For more information on Masdar, go to the following websites:


The Masdar Initiative:
http://www.masdaruae.com/

Abu Dhabi Aims to Build First Carbon-Neutral City: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=90042092