A Modest 7 Point Energy Policy

Have you noticed that the US policy on green house gases is a bit muddled? The old man is good at pointing. We've been told what we are supposed to do, but what is the government's role? Cheerleading? Compare to Germany where solar is clearly the way the government wants to go as you can tell by the subsidies.

So I thought I would help out with a modest list of suggestions to get the ball rolling. Let's call this the Wolnitzek Consensus, since so far only I agree to the list. But in all seriousness, here it is:

1. Stop Coal-fired Power Plant Pollution
2. Subsidize Thorium-based Nuclear Power
3. Stop Closing Interstate Highways For Hours Because of a Fatality
4. Make All Road Repairs After Hours
5. Subsidize LEDs Instead of CFLs and Ethanol
6. Synchronize All Street Lights
7. Encourage Delivery Drones and Driverless Vehicles
   

You are dying for the details, aren't you?

Stop Coal-fired Power Plant Pollution
If we are serious about greenhouse gases and global warming, how can we be OK with the enormous pollution generated by the relatively small number of power plants. Yes, electricity will cost more, but it is just stupid to subsidize global warming.

Subsidize Thorium-based Nuclear Power
There is a better way to make nuclear power. Our technology has overcome the issues. What the hell are we waiting for? Read about the thorium solution here.

Stop Closing Interstate Highways For Hours Because of a Fatality
I know. It is awful to be the victim of a fatal auto accident. But life goes on. I submit that the victim's right to have their attorney sue somebody doesn't outweigh the rights of the people in the ten miles long x three lanes wide parking lot that all of us have experienced. With all the clever people out there, can't we get some exotic imaging equipment on the scene to record the aftermath. Or better yet, couldn't the NSA record all traffic for us to prevent the terrible waste of fuel and productivity that a four hour investigation causes.

Make All Road Repairs After Hours
Nighttime repairs and maintenance are done routinely where traffic simply has to be kept moving. The amount of road work going on every year, everywhere is staggering. Every time it takes you 5, 10, 20 minutes longer for your commute because of road work, it amounts to a government-sanctioned waste of fuel to create extra pollution. If all road work was done at night, the cost differential would disappear through competition.

Subsidize LEDs Instead of CFLs and Ethanol
CFLs have mercury in them. How can their use be a good thing? Ethanol raises the price of corn - and groceries. Is that the trade-off we want for reduced pollution? Why not subsidize LEDs until the scale of their use drives the price down?

Synchronize All Street Lights
This is a mini-version of the Nighttime Repairs issue, except that it happens everywhere and all the time, making it potentially even more of a waste. If a car can park itself, I think we can have street lights that are smart enough to change color at the right time.

Encourage Delivery Drones and Driverless Vehicles
You have heard of Amazon's plan to deliver your stuff by drone and of Google's plan to make cars that drive themselves. There are serious fuel savings to be had by each initiative. Expedite. Expedite.

And while we are being silly and wishing for government to do something useful, let's also wish for better solutions to reducing greenhouse gases than the low-flow toilets that save water by having to be flushed 2 or 3 times to get the job done.