I sincerely hope scientific minded young people in Alaska step up to replace the bought and paid for representation that we currently have in Alaska.
On both the state and federal level, oil companies dictate what actions our representatives take. Borrowing a billion dollars to “give” to small oil companies must be the stupidest idea I’ve ever heard in my life. As the rest of the world actively explores and implements solar power, tidal power, geo-thermal and wind power, trusty rusty Alaskan leaders continue to drink from the oil teat. Continuing to follow this path is insane. Can you imagine the number of power turbines we could place in Cook Inlet, Gastineau Channel, and many of our large rivers with a billion dollars? We have the second biggest tidal change on earth every six hours. The number of solar panels that could be placed in the interior? The wind turbines? Not only could we get off climate changing non-renewable fossil fuel we would have a job boom that shadowed anything the oil industry ever produced. Design, engineering, construction, and possibly manufacturing re-newable energy sources. Today’s kids would need college, trade school and transportation experts. All of this could come from within Alaska, using Alaskan labor to the maximum.
This short-sighted foolish move is backwards thinking akin to investing in a company that manufactures typewriter ribbons. Alaska is setting itself up to be left behind when we should be leading the way. Continuing to deplete polluting finite resources is no longer the way to go. I saw an interesting meme on the internet yesterday, it said with all the advances in technology in the past 20 years, why are we still using an internal combustion engine that was developed over 100 years ago?
If we continue down this path until all the oil and gas is pumped out and we have not built the infrastructure to lead the way into the future regarding energy production, then future generations will bear the brunt of all the greedy foolish decisions we make today. This is why I’m calling on young Alaskans to step up and start taking the lead. Our current leaders are dinosaurs who are ready to dip into the tar pits and will swim down without a care, leaving today’s young people without a snowballs chance in hades as there will be no money left to build the needed infrastructure. I’ve lived in Alaska since 1979 and have always felt the underlying greed that drives oil production. The “I have mine, forget about you” mentality will be the economic death of our great state. It’s past time to diverse and not just explore but begin leading the world in alternate energy options. Young people, are you listening? Educators, are you up to the challenge? Legislators, are you ready to make difference?
Linda A. Orr,
Juneau
