Valuing Conservation

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Valuing Conservation
by James Hall, Associate Editor

February 27, 2002

"Leaning Left"

James Hall The other day on the South lawn of the White House, President Bush (right) previewed the future of American automobiles. He looked at prototype hybrid cars, which use efficient gas engines to drive electric generators and motors, getting 50-60 m.p.g., and at prototype cars running on hydrogen fuel cells that produce only heat and water as a byproduct. All the cars were prototypes because they were from American car companies. Mr. Bush, inadvertently or not, ignored the hybrid cars already on the streets manufactured by Toyota and Honda, cars the ordinary American can purchase for around $25,000 these days.

That the Japanese and our European allies, who produce their own hybrid vehicles, are selling fuel-efficient cars while American car companies are still trying to build them says a lot about the American commitment to conservation. While others are thinking about reducing air pollution and energy dependence, Americans are buying SUVs, the ultimate in gas-guzzling pollution-creation, almost 50% of the time.

Now Mr. Bush is asking us to consider that our national security interests are involved in reducing our dependence on foreign oil. Considering that that war on terrorism came about because al-Qaeda objected to the US presence on Saudi Arabian soil, and the US presence is there to protect US interests--in Saudi oil--that seems to be an accurate assessment. Indeed, without the need for Middle Eastern oil, it's doubtful that we'd be very interested or very involved in that region of the world.

Our dependence on foreign oil is a problem. It forces us to put troops in harm's way. It plays havoc with our balance of trade. It makes us vulnerable to forms of oil blackmail from abroad, and to the whims of the foreign oil cartel.

Mr. Bush's national security argument makes sense. But his conclusion--that we must get oil out of the Alaskan National Wildlife Refuge, the Rocky Mountains, and the Gulf of Mexico--doesn't. Estimates for ANWR of a year's supply of oil or less (which will take us ten years to harvest) won't keep us free of foreign oil for long. Drilling in the Rockies and off the coast of Florida puts in jeopardy a multibillion dollar tourist industry in these places, as well as priceless natural values--pristine mountains and beaches.

The president hit upon the best solution in the South lawn--conservation. Reducing our dependence on foreign oil by using less of it. Unfortunately the president's ideas don't go far enough. He wants to give tax credits to those who buy hybrid automobiles and give research money to those auto companies working on fuel cell technology. Both good ideas, but politically painless.

Tax credits and research grants only go so far. If the president wanted an immediate impact on foreign reduction, and if he wanted an immediate response for national security reasons, he would call for national conservation and ask Congress to upgrade CAFE standards for light trucks and SUVs. Hybrids are excellent choices, but Americans could stop using Middle Eastern oil right away if we all switched from gas-guzzling SUVs to sedans that get 33 m.p.g. or better--or if we required SUVs to meet CAFE standards.

After 9/11, Americans have lined up to ask what they could do to help their country. How about conserving energy to make our country energy independent? Buy that hybrid car or turn in that gas guzzler for a car that gets good mileage. Go the president one better and don't wait for the tax rebate. As a byproduct of their conservation effort, Americans will find themselves saving lots of money on gas and reducing pollution, too. And we may find ourselves saving so much oil that we don't need to sacrifice ANWR, the Rockies, and the Gulf to do it.

Americans conserve less than any other society in the world. We seemed to have lost the pioneer frugality of our forefathers, the "penny saved is a penny earned" mentality of Ben Franklin in today's spendthrift society. Perhaps if we take the president at his word and go the extra mile by actively investing in energy efficient cars, appliances, and homes, we can do what's best for America and ourselves, and all without sacrificing America's natural treasures. ***

Photo of President George W. Bush (R-TX) courtesy of the Associated Press