The initial premise behind producing eco-friendly, lithium-ion battery powered electric motorized cars that you can recharge by plugging into a 220 volt outlet or charging station sounds like the dream-come-true answer to reduce America’s carbon footprint and addiction to foreign oil, but is it nothing more than an illusion? Electricity is being touted as clean energy, which it is in most respects, but there is one significant omission that proponents are forgetting to remind the public, namely, that the majority of America’s electrical appetite is being supplied by polluting hydrocarbons. According to a 2009 study, Coal accounts for over 45%, followed by Natural Gas at 23% and lastly, Petroleum by-products at 1%, for at total of at least 69% to supply our total energy needs.
Outside of these, the next largest industry is Nuclear, and considering the Fukishima, Japan Daiichi reactor meltdown of March 11, 2011 and the Chernobyl RBMK reactor Nuclear Power Plant disaster in April 26, 1986 in the Ukraine as well as Three Mile Island (TMI) in Harrisburg, PA partial meltdown of TMI-2 reactor core resulting in the release of radioactive Krypton-85 gas and Iodine -131 into the surrounding environment on March 28, 1979. Those people living downwind of the disaster reported lung cancer and leukemia rates 2 to 10 times normal as well as a spike in infant mortality rates two years after the event. Considering all of this concern over the safety of nuclear energy, it is very unlikely such unpredictable and potentially dangerous substances will be used as a reliable energy source provider in the present or near future.
Robert Randle
776 Commerce St. #B-11
Tacoma, WA 98402
May 25, 2011
Robertrandle51@yahoo.com
