The first step in finding a sensible solution to any problem is understanding. This is applicable to all problems, scientific or otherwise. Today, we'll examine the "Green" initiative that has gain large momentum recently. So, what is being "Green"? To me, "Green" means being sensible to the impact that we make as a species to the environment, and the legacy that we want to leave to our future generation. What are our legacies? Well, to simply put, it's things that we take for granted now, but would be miserable without: clean water, air, energy, and sun light.
It's humorous to think in these simple terms, rather than in terms of other things that currently have more green ($$$) value assigned to it. However, let's face the simple truth: inflation and economic changes will change the currency value of things to come, but it will never change our needs for these basics: clean water, air, energy, and sun light.
Today, the focus is on energy. Being "Green" on energy means we need to realize that our supply of fossil fuel is NOT unlimited. Indeed, the conflicts of the modern era can be tied to the disputes around access to these limited supplies. Yet, our sole consumption of this depleting resource is not regulated, but rather, increasing at an alarming rate. Indeed, one measure of a developing nation's "progress" is its increase in fossil fuel consumption! How, then, do we act as a species to be sensible?
Our first step: study and understand our energy consumption behavior, and apply that understanding to reduce our consumption in a sensible manner. To do that, we need monitoring and measurement solutions. Being able to monitor our energy usage and understand the role each pieces of that consumption means to our lives will give us insight into our energy "efficiency". That is, are we using energy to achieve the optimal Goods? Or are we wasting it unknowingly in some areas just because it is still "cheap" to do so? Is it really "cheap" to borrow from our grand children's "energy fund"? Looking at the U.S. National Debt Clock, I am hard pressed to hope otherwise.
Hawaii's isolation makes us very dependent on imports. It is interesting to note that we import approximately $6 billions worth of energy per year. Just imagine, how much can we achieve if we were to invest that amount of money toward developing our energy independence? Short term savings? Long term savings? To our future, that investment would be a truer path to making our island home a paradise than any.
It's humorous to think in these simple terms, rather than in terms of other things that currently have more green ($$$) value assigned to it. However, let's face the simple truth: inflation and economic changes will change the currency value of things to come, but it will never change our needs for these basics: clean water, air, energy, and sun light.
Today, the focus is on energy. Being "Green" on energy means we need to realize that our supply of fossil fuel is NOT unlimited. Indeed, the conflicts of the modern era can be tied to the disputes around access to these limited supplies. Yet, our sole consumption of this depleting resource is not regulated, but rather, increasing at an alarming rate. Indeed, one measure of a developing nation's "progress" is its increase in fossil fuel consumption! How, then, do we act as a species to be sensible?
Our first step: study and understand our energy consumption behavior, and apply that understanding to reduce our consumption in a sensible manner. To do that, we need monitoring and measurement solutions. Being able to monitor our energy usage and understand the role each pieces of that consumption means to our lives will give us insight into our energy "efficiency". That is, are we using energy to achieve the optimal Goods? Or are we wasting it unknowingly in some areas just because it is still "cheap" to do so? Is it really "cheap" to borrow from our grand children's "energy fund"? Looking at the U.S. National Debt Clock, I am hard pressed to hope otherwise.
Hawaii's isolation makes us very dependent on imports. It is interesting to note that we import approximately $6 billions worth of energy per year. Just imagine, how much can we achieve if we were to invest that amount of money toward developing our energy independence? Short term savings? Long term savings? To our future, that investment would be a truer path to making our island home a paradise than any.
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