Excuse me, I feel a rant coming on.

As congress moves toward passing a national energy bill, two integral components were chucked yesterday. The committee negotiating the merger between the Senate’s Energy Bill and the House’s Energy Bill rejected the components of the Senate’s plan that would have:

1) Required utilities to use more renewable energy like wind and solar power to generate electricity, and
2) Directed the president to find ways to cut the nation's appetite for oil by one million barrels a day.

So I guess we have an unlimited supply of fossil fuels, after all. Also, requiring the president to come up with ways to decrease our fuel use would be too much of a burden on him. I mean, it’s not like energy is a huge topic that has everything to do with our economy, the environment, and future generations; or like energy plays any role in our everyday lives. And besides, it’s not like he is the leader of our country, or anything… Really why should he be concerned with finding ways to reduce our energy consumption?

Oh! Oh! (hand waving frantically in the air) I Know! Pick me! Because he should set an example for other countries, to show that world leaders should be concerned with the amount of green house gases that are released when burning fossil fuels? Because he has two daughters who may want to have children of their own and raise them in a world that is not toxic from fuel emissions and rife with war because we are hungry for oil to fuel our economy and will do anything to get it? Because it is hotter than hell in Wisconsin and it will continue to get hotter and Miami will just disappear under the Atlantic unless we do something to reduce our carbon emissions? Because cutting our appetite for oil might make us better neighbors? Because at some point we may run out of fossil fuels and it is a good idea to start looking in the direction of other sources of energy before it is too late? Because he and like, five other Americans, are the only ones who have become gajillioneres because of the oil industry and the rest of us aren’t seeing the same profits, so maybe it’s time to become a little more utilitarian and do what’s best for the greater good…?

According to opponents of the above mentioned items, taking measures to achieve the targeted reduction in oil consumption would be “unpopular”. Yes, folks, that’s right, “unpopular”. As I recall, Algebra was unpopular in middle school. My principal didn’t take it out of the curriculum, though. You know what might be even more unpopular than having to carpool to work? The entire state of Florida being underwater. I am just saying.

If you would like to read the article in the New York Times, yourself, please do. I would appreciate any feedback. Once you’ve read that, get the names of your congresspeople and how to contact them, and drop them a quick line. Tell them that you support better fuel efficiency on vehicles. Tell them that the president should take responsibility for finding ways to reduce our fuel consumption. Tell them that you want your grandkids to be able to live in a clean, safe and healthy world. They work for you, so let them know what you think. End of rant. (I really try hard to stay off the Environmental High Horse, but sometimes I just gotta take that ride…)

On the more subdued side of things, Chloe is coming along. (Sniff, sniff) They grow up so fast these days. Last night I was up until 12:30 with her, because she was being a little fussy.
But Chris will be out of town this weekend, on an overnight field trip for school (maybe I am just being naïve, but colleges have these, right?), and so she and I will get in a lot of bonding time. I am almost done with the ribbing on the back side and then it will be on to the body of the back.

P.S. Don’t forget to write your Congresspeople.
P.P.S. I am done with the subject now. Really.