July 2008 Commentary
The age of reason … and vice versa
Richard G. Biever
Senior Editor
I guess I’m getting old. My first thought after recently reading a short commentary by a high school student on how gas prices need to go even higher to force people to conserve energy was … “Ah, to be that young again ….”
The comment was from an op-ed feature in the Indianapolis Star that lets high school and college students share their points of view. This student, following a line of thinking out there, said making gas unaffordable was the best way to force conservation, thereby cutting carbon emissions and protecting the planet.
Yep, to be that young … To not have to worry about commuting to work and seeing your hard-earned money zip by at the pump; to not have to worry about putting food on your table to feed your family; to not have to worry about which bills to pay this month and which ones might have to wait. To not have to worry about anything because Mom and Dad are always there with the checkbook. I was much the same myself at her age: callow and callous to the real needs of others around me.
In response, one 70-ish woman with the wisdom of her years behind her wrote in as mad as heck. She said average, hard-working people she knows are struggling already.
We both give this young writer about five years — when the challenges of adulthood set in — and she’ll start changing her perspective a bit.
It’s good to see young people passionate about global issues. And this young writer does have a point: we must conserve energy. But this notion of forcing conservation through oppressive pricing and policy is worrisome.
We see the same thinking with electricity. Many people think the nation needs to impose onerous regulations on fossil-fueled electricity to force rates to go even higher. This will force Americans to conserve, they pontificate.
They don’t realize people will die if electricity becomes unaffordable. People die whenever there’s a heat wave, especially in inner cities, because they can’t afford air conditioners or fans or the electricity to run them. Electricity is not a luxury. It’s a here-and-now necessity for all of us for modern, healthy, sanitary living.
Co-ops, which are directed by their member/consumers, realize the hardships created by high costs better than any utility. And they’re doing all they can to keep rates down.
People who want to force higher energy prices through government policies to reduce carbon emissions have an ear in Washington. If you think a more reasoned and balanced approach is needed to meet our energy and environmental challenges, we invite you to go to “Our Energy, Our Future, Our Indiana” to start a dialogue with Indiana lawmakers to find out what they are doing to keep electricity affordable.
I applaud people who are passionate about issues, like the young writer. But I hope a little more living will give her some empathy for others. Too much passion — without compassion — breeds self-righteous extremists who seek their ends by any means. And even 17-year-olds should know what that brings.
Go to “An Enviornment of Change” contents page for multiple articles and commentaries on the Future of Electricity
Written By: eceditor
Date Posted: 6/19/2008
Number of Views: 1080
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