REDFORD FOR NEW ENERGY

harnessing Nature’s Power
Robert Redford, May 11, 2009 (Salt Lake Tribune via Huffington Post)

"…Nature's power is so obvious that you have to wonder why we've mostly ignored it as a source of energy to run our homes and businesses, and to propel our cars and trucks…[I]f we did a little more to harness that power, we could begin to solve some of our most pressing environmental and economic challenges…reduce global warming pollution, protect public health with clean air and water, create jobs in Utah and ultimately bring down energy prices.

"We know that burning fossil fuels is destabilizing the atmosphere and acidifying the oceans. We know that our dependence on oil shackles us to dangerous foreign regimes and to the escalating prices they'll inevitably charge as demand outstrips supply. But we also know how to break our dependence and free ourselves from this destructive cycle…"

Utah is rich in sun. (click to enlarge)

"Dollar for dollar, investing in clean energy creates more jobs than investing in traditional energy sources like oil and gas. That really matters, especially when you consider that more than 30,000 Utah workers lost their jobs last year.

"We've got tens of thousands of windy acres here in Utah, sites for geothermal energy abound, and the southern part of the state has tremendous potential for solar power. We will have to carefully pick renewable energy sites that don't endanger critical habitat and wilderness quality land, but the opportunity is vast…"

Only Nevada has better geothermal resources than Utah. (click to enlarge)

"Right now Congress is working on a landmark clean energy jobs plan that would boost the amount of wind, solar and other clean energy our country produces. The American Clean Energy and Security Act will also make our vehicles, appliances and buildings more efficient, and update our antiquated electricity grid…

"It's true that the economic and environmental challenges we confront are serious. But Americans have never encountered a challenge of any kind that we couldn't overcome by working together and applying our ingenuity…The only missing ingredient is a spirit of innovation, cooperation and resolve amongst our political leaders…[O]ur leaders need to reconsider their allegiance to the dirty fuels industry, stop their bickering, and act boldly to move America towards a new energy economy…"