Energy Program News

Conservation Group Calls on South Florida Congressional Candidates to Support Policies to Solve U.S. Energy Crisis

WEST PALM BEACH —Environment Florida today unveiled the top ten best opportunities to move America beyond fossil fuels and toward a cleaner, more secure energy future.

The list is based on Environment Florida’s new report, “The Road to a New Energy Future”, which highlights numerous technologies available right now to reduce U.S. dependence on fossil fuels. It is the second of two reports that reinforce the importance of an American commitment to move toward a cleaner and more secure energy future.
 
“With war in the Middle East, volatile gas prices, and the gathering storm of global warming, America needs a new energy future,” said Environment Florida field organizer, Adam Rivera. “We cannot afford to pass up any of these golden opportunities,” continued Rivera.
 
Environment Florida’s report shows that the U.S. already has the tools to accomplish the goals of reducing our dependence on oil; harnessing clean, renewable, homegrown energy; and saving energy with high performance homes, buildings and appliances.

Identified by Environment Florida as among the top ten best opportunities for a new energy future were:

• Hybrid vehicles. Vehicles already exist that go 100 miles on a gallon of gas. Melissa Edwards, spokesperson for Ed Morse Honda in Riviera Beach said, “With more cars like the Honda Civic Hybrid on the road, getting 51 miles to the gallon, we can use less oil, pollute less and still get around town.”

• Capture the power of the sun.  The potential for electricity from solar energy in the United States is huge; solar photovoltaic (pv) panels, placed on just 7 percent of area currently covered by cities and residences could generate all of America’s electricity. 

“The price of solar energy has dropped dramatically over the last two decades, and here in the Sunshine State we could create jobs and reduce electricity bills by dramatically increasing the amount of our electricity that is generated by the sun,” said David Green of Solar Development, Inc. in Palm Beach.

• Solar heated water.  Using roof-mounted solar collectors to heat household water can reduce energy consumption for water heating by about two-thirds and pay for themselves within four to eight years.

• Change light bulbs.  Lighting accounts for about 9 percent of household electricity consumption. If every American household replaced its most highly used incandescent bulbs with compact fluorescents, total household lighting consumption could be cut in half.

• Put a stake in the heart of the energy “vampires”.  Replacing existing appliances like DVD players, cell phone chargers, and televisions with those that minimize the energy wasted when they are turned off but still using electricity while in “standby” mode could reduce energy losses by 68 percent.

Also on the list were:

1.            “Zero-energy” homes & buildings.

2.            Efficient industrial motors

3.            Clean bio-fuels

4.            Geothermal energy

Environment Florida also called on south Florida Congressional candidates Clay Shaw, Ron Klein, Joe Negron and Tim Mahoney, along with all other Congressional candidates in Florida, to support the goals of a New Energy Future.

“The opportunity for a New Energy Future is knocking, and Floridians are calling on our leaders to answer,” said Rivera. “We need a national commitment to put these clean energy tools in the hands of the individuals and businesses that will build our energy future,” continued Rivera.

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Environment Florida is a statewide non-profit, non-partisan environmental advocacy organization whose mission is to advocate for clean air, clean water and open spaces in Florida.  To view the full report, or to learn more about the Campaign for a New Energy Future, visit www.EnvironmentFlorida.org.

More than 250 environmental, consumer, labor, and civic groups—including the Palm Beach County League of Women Voters and Veterans of Foreign Wars of Boynton Beach—have endorsed the New Energy Future platform to take advantage of these opportunities to reduce oil use, promote the use of renewable energy, and help Americans save energy.