High oil prices present an oportunity!

Here we go again. Oil prices are threatening to derail our already weak economy. What is most distressing about the whole thing is that the oil producing countries are not the only problem. Transportation companies, speculators and greedy refiners all share in the volatility of this commodity -- and I didn’t even mention our own government.

But we have a weapon don’t we? Renewable clean energy is available 24/7. And we also have the power of knowledge because these volatile times increase our awareness. It’s like free advertizing. Every time the talking heads say that the price of gas is going to be much higher this summer and fall, I can hear somebody saying, “Honey, let’s look at a Chevy Volt or a Nissan Leaf. Or how about a model from Think, Tesla or a Coda.”

These times are made for change. All over the world people want change and the freedom it brings. We need to disconnect political volatility abroad from energy pricing here. I am an optimist, so I believe that the market power of free countries in the world is critical in bringing stability to the energy markets. The result is that wealth will be distributed and not concentrated in a wealthy few.

Let’s raise our voices to push renewable, push renewable, push renewable. The fact is that politicians need your vote to stay in power, no matter what the lobbyists say. If the oil companies want to throw their weight around by using lobbyists, so be it. Contact your politicians. Tell them they will not get your vote unless they take steps to change the effect of energy volatility in this country. That, my friends, is grass roots lobbying!

The politicians seem to be lost in these difficult times. But we can guide them through our calls, emails and constant reminders that they work for us.

Make it happen!

George Lopez
Executive Director
The Solar and Wind Expo

"make green a reality" visit http://www.thesolarandwindexpo.com/