America's dependence on foreign oil is a subject we've covered several times before. It isn't going away. The solutions being proposed for this problem are ones that could reduce our reliance on foreign oil, but until we get serious about the need to get off of oil those solutions will never be successful.As here previously, Canada is our largest supplier of foreign oil. Mexico is our second largest single nation supplier of oil. The United States is the largest producer of oil in the world. The problem is that we have to somehow get around the problem of the coalition of Middle Eastern countries who have banded together (OPEC) that actually provide us more oil than Canada and Mexico.
Canada may have the solution in their sands project. Additionally, with hydroelectricity, has the ability to add another 16% of our energy needs without the hassle of dealing with OPEC. And let's not forget ANWR.
Why bring all this up again? The President was talking energy in this weekend's radio address. Specifically, the president was discussing nuclear energy and a partnership with other advanced nuclear nations such as France, Japan, and Russia to develop new reactors that will be cleaner and safer than our current ones.
He also pointed out that we haven't ordered up a new reactor to be constructed in this country since the '70s. He doesn't tell us why...
Until the environmentalists in this country realize that nuclear power is the way to go and that it is actually safer than those '70s plants, we will never get this done. The same goes for other alternative energy methods on the table. Turbines for wind power have been suggested many times; but when push comes to shove, somebody doesn't want their view obstructed. Hydropower? I'm sure there will be some endangered fish or something in the way. Solar power? That will cause cancer or something.
What we need is a decision to be made and then acted upon. If the answer is nuclear power, then let's go for it.
