The Picken's Plan is no good

The 21 October 2008 program Frontline, Heat (120 minutes) illustrates in detail how difficult it is for the US to give up oil and coal. We have a major task in front of us. Conservation & efficiency are the most cost effective and are immediately available. The US is but one part of the global problem. PHEVs are a positive move forward. Wind, but not natural gas (a hydrocarbon) is a bridge technology.

 

anyone hear about Ford plans for all EV in 2010 and 2011?

 

ooops...forgot link

autoblitz: Ford accelerates electric-vehicle plans

 

Not that others have not said this, but this model only makes sense if we reduce the amount of goods we transport long distance by truck. We have got to move away from a "just in time" delivery model for manufacturing allowing for more energy efficient (but slower) rail transport first model. Just like ethanol drives up the price of corn (or other crop), heating our homes with natural gas (still the most effective heat generating energy) will get a lot more expensive if transport of goods starts competing for that same energy source.

 

The increase in online shopping means that more and more packages are being sent every day. Some analysts even monitor the cardboard industry as a barometer of the economy.

 

actually there are ways to keep JIT without relying heavily on trucks. implementing regional mass storage points at major rail hubs is what is needed. all this is predicated on a MASSIVE investment in the rail system with a huge amount of rail being installed. the objective here would be to design a system where a great part of the trucking network is less than 100 miles.

coordination in the produce industry and other perishables would require an unprecedented scale of efficiency to provide satisfaction on both ends of the line, no doubt change on an unparalleled scope would create whole new industries and jobs.

CHANGE CHANGE CHANGE!!

it will be hard, expensive. making the right change in the right order will take careful planning. but from all this, the only that is certain...not changing will destroy our way of life. we are on the precipice. whether we fail or succeed depends on what plan we initiate, and its my true belief that we no longer have any time to waste. two years ago, i predicted that we had run out of time. the economic crisis we are in just reinforces my beliefs.