Obama won!

Ok, the election hasn't taken place yet, but tonight was the 2nd presidential debate, and I think we have a clear winner. Obama had the poise, the confidence, and the intelligence to address the American people and inspire us to do our part to help solve the energy crisis. He's right, the energy problem isn't just a challenge, its an opportunity. It's an opportunity for America to shine again, and lead the world to again by providing clean energy technologies that will revolutionize the energy market forever. Check out Wired magazine's article on Tom Friedmans' new book, Hot Flat and Crowded.

What can the government do? The government is made of people, and each of us can have a part too. We can start by conserving electricity and gasoline in our daily lives. Yes, the economic incentives need to be in place to make those choices viable, and to incubate those technologies that need a boost. But that's exactly what has been done in the past as with the oil industry. So this election, do your part, make sure you vote and get your voice heard.

It's interesting to consider the relationship between a country's energy policy and its political structure. As I heard on a recent NPR radiocast, countries dependent on non-renewable resources easily fall into dictatorships such as Russia and Venezuela, the reason being that the natural resources are controlled by a handful of people who are also in charge of the government.
When countries without much natural resources are forced to innovate, such as Japan and Germany, they develop renewable energy technologies that create jobs and in turn benefit the entire population. If we then look at the US, we have become increasingly dependent on non-renewable resources for energy, and worse yet, we are forced to import the supply from foreign entities that doesn't necessary fit our moral code. We need to make changes, and we need to make them fast. You can help by conserving energy to help us bridge the gap, and you can help by getting out the vote. Check out NPR's election map.