Blast83

Go Solar NOW! June 30, 2009

It’s a name dropping day today, this first work day after the House passes the first legislature geared at reducing global warming. That’s right, this bill was written to REDUCE the amount of energy produced by fossil fuels (and their related heat-trapping gasses which in turn are responsible for global warming) and SHIFT towards energy procurement from renewable sources such as solar, wind, geothermal, solar thermal (so hot right now) and other renewable energy sources.

Paul Krugman, one of my favorites, wrote an excellent piece today about American Betrayal of our planet.  He called out Representative Paul Broun of Georgia who, for some reason, still thinks that all the scientists in the land are full of it and just making up all the fantastic climate changes that America has been experiencing for the past number of years.  It’s as if personal experience doesn’t even count anymore.  Who elected this guy?

Best quote of the day, “I’d call this a crazy conspiracy theory, but doing so would actually be unfair to crazy conspiracy theorists. After all, to believe that global warming is a hoax you have to believe in a vast cabal consisting of thousands of scientists — a cabal so powerful that it has managed to create false records on everything from global temperatures to Arctic sea ice.”

And we’ve seen some action already!  BP of Austin is cited in 53 pollution violations (including one that occurred in March of ’05 where 15 workers were killed, 170 injured).  The temporary injunction will see that BP follows state environmental laws (duh?) while the pollution lawsuit is in court.

I’ll now cite my fantastic boss who pulled up a fantastic quote to explain away the insanity of our misinformed politicians.  He reminded me that Upton Sinclair spoke the truth when he said, “It is difficult to get a man to understand something, when his salary depends upon his not understanding it!”   Broun, you’re being called out.  Where are you reelection dollars coming from?

In other important news, Obama wants energy efficiency standards for lamps and light bulbs, not sexy, he notes, but overall could reduce spending by a heap of money ($4 billion annually over the next 20+ years) and reduce emissions equivalent to 166 million cars.  And he doesn’t think that light bulbs are all that sexy?  Go Chu!

So what does this have to do with Solar Training?  Everything!  Government says go renewable.  The steps are being taken, stimulus package, legislation, the writing has literally been prepared.  For Republicans like John Boehner of Ohio who says the administration hasn’t done enough to stimulate the creation of new jobs, a little patience first but seriously, look around.  How many new solar companies are popping up around you?  The financial climate is clearing up.  The policy requirements for new installers is clearing, the hurdle and barriers to entry are lowering as solar training alumni are entering the marketplace, becoming successful and sourcing their knowledge to the next level of installers.

It’s coming!  The Department of Interior is speeding the South West landscape through the process of becoming Solar Energy Studies areas (not the brightest idea to exploit uncharted territories when you can have solar roofs installed in every developed nook of the US) but Hey- It’s Jobs! 

Jobs are being created in infrastructure redevelopment at lightning speed.  Right now.  Do you know what you’re doing?  Are you ready for the wind energy revolution?  Solar Thermal is only .2% market penetration in the US.  You are correct if you comprehend that that means there’s 98.8% room for MARKET GROWTH in this country.  Do you know your solar thermal terminology?  Are you trained in Solar Thermal? (It’s my favorite, can’t heat my pool without it.)

So, like Gandhi said, “Be the Change you want to see in the world.”  You want new green jobs?  Start a business and hire other people to help.  Stop making excuses, get some solar training, and get to work.  There’s a lot to be done. 
Thanks Obama!

 –because I can’t post how I really feel on my work blog…—