Springfield City Council Member Dan Chiles gave a very powerful and excellent talk this morning at the Ozarks New Energy conference. I would say that this speech will likely be viewed as the best one at the conference.
But before I get to the meat of Councilman Chiles’ talk…which was substantial…I have to share something that happened to me during the conference. I debated not including this because there is a risk that certain folks reading this post will see only this section and ignore the rest of what’s posted and I don’t want that to happen. However, I’ve posted on here before about my feelings in situations and my views on situations and I thought it would be unfair not to include it here. I’m posting it first with the hope most of you consider it and then read the rest of the post. I feared if I posted it at the end all the comments would be were responses to that and the rest of Councilman Chiles’ excellent talk would be forgotten.
Issues like renewable energy and environmentalism have been painted as “liberal” issues. While I would disagree…there’s no way you can say the idea of being self-sustaining and not counting on the government to subsidize our food is not a conservative value…it seems a majority of the most vocal activists are openly liberal on most political issues. It’s unfair to paint environmentalism with the big brush but when you go into an event such as this someone who’s conservative unfortunately has a level of uneasiness that events will turn into a conservative bashing session. In the middle of Councilman Chiles’ talk when he spoke of Iraq and governmental policies with some less than flattering pictures of President Bush on the screen it drew the loudest applause of the event (outside of the standing ovation at the end.) To that point, Councilman Chiles had brought up many vital pieces of information including our consumption rates and the importance of fixing problems before the future is overwhelming but the loudest shouts were for shots at President Bush and Republican actions.
Long time readers of this blog know I think President Bush is the Millard Fillmore of our generation and that I don’t support the Republican party but I get really tired of the continual bashing. Some will argue with me on it, but those people weren’t applauding Councilman Chiles’ statements as much as bashing Bush and the administration. It made me as a conservative feel really unwelcome in that room. If it wasn’t for the fact I was there to cover the talk for the blog I would have left despite the great information I had heard to that point. The saddest part of that is I agreed with Councilman Chiles’ main contention that we need a balance between “guns and butter” and that it’s absurd to spend $120 billion on the Iraq War and less than $1 billion on renewable energy research. Why can’t those issues be discussed without making fun of President Bush or the administration? Why can’t we just discuss the actual issues?
Now…for Councilman Chiles’ talk which was brilliant. I’m going to just post some of my notes from the session.
- 20 Tons of CO2 is produced every year by a human being. 75% of those CO2 emissions happen at work, transportation and home. All of those could be greatly and immediately reduced through conservation methods. “When you’re at the bottom you don’t have to wait for Washington DC to do it.”
- Coal prices have tripled in the last year and governments are cutting back on allowing new coal plants. That means natural gas is going to be the next wave of electricity production. Currently, the majority of natural gas comes from the US and Canada but those supplies are predicted to be in an almost free fall over the next twenty years. The untapped sources of natural gas? Dubai…and they love us after that ports deal situation…Iran and Russia. Not exactly our buddies even when we have a President other than this one. Councilman Chiles said that we need to get back to a point where “we grow it and then we consume it.” In other words, be self sustaining energy-wise.
- From initiation of energy (like mining) to actual energy coal is 3% efficient. Solar power is 20% efficient.
- A 92×92 grid of solar panels in the Nevada desert could provide enough power for the entire United States on average. If a way could be found to control surges in use the system could be put into place.
- “America’s energy strategy is not secure.”
- The cost ratio of military to domestic needs is out of balance. At one point, Councilman Chiles quipped “that’s where the waterboarding budget is” when referencing a slide on the big screen. There’s no reason a part of the military budget couldn’t be reduced and put back into domestic economic and energy development when you look at the cost ratios involved between the two. Councilman Chiles built the case that right now we’re using the military to gain our energy resources and that when you build up the military in the manner that’s been done “everyone looks like the enemy.” Our energy policy is one of two things: 1. If they’re a weaker country, beat them up and take the oil. 2. If they’re stronger, kiss up to them. (He had a picture of President Bush kissing a Saudi leader.) There was a joke about them being on a “man-date” which was mildly amusing in light of the photo. “War is our energy policy.”
- “I’m not against the military but I’m saying we need a balance.” (Note: balance was a recurring theme throughout most of the talk.)
- He quoted President Dwight D. Eisenhower: ” In the councils of government, we must guard against the acquisition of unwarranted influence, whether sought or unsought, by the military-industrial complex. The potential for the disastrous rise of misplaced power exists and will persist.” I would agree with Councilman Chiles that right now there is a misplacement of power and a lack of balance.
- If communities produced more of their food it would reduce overall energy costs and food costs. Growing your own garden or shopping at community or farmer’s markets can help conserve energy and resources and also keep dollars in the local community that would be leaving to food producers and transporters and not coming back. At one point, Councilman Chiles said there is $11 billion dollars a year leaving the greater Springfield area in this manner that is not coming back to us. He asked us to consider what we could do if those dollars stayed in our local economy.
- In our older generation, they survived through cooperation. Co-ops for food, oil, gas and other items were standard in many communities. Neighbors came together to help neighbors and it reduced the need to go outside the community. In many cases, it was the only way to live. Councilman Chiles believes we need to return to a similar style of living in our communities.
- According to a local contractor who spoke to Council, over 12,000 homes have been built in the Springfield area since 2002 that have illegal levels of insulation. “Apparently the inspectors aren’t checking it.” If it’s true (and I have no way to know for sure it’s not) then there needs to be an answer for this. Why aren’t new home inspectors making sure the insulation codes are met?
- The homes of the future need to be designed for efficiency and architects that can make designs for those kinds of homes will be in large demand in the future.
- Large public transit systems to help shuttle people, reduce traffic and emissions have a 66% voter approval nationwide. (Somehow, I think it would be a really tough sell in the Ozarks.)
- If you throw trash away, you create one job. If you recycle, you create eight.
- The biggest way to get people to use renewable resources and environmentally friendly methods is not informing them of cost savings, guilt them into saving the planet or being socially responsible. It was seeing their neighbors taking the steps and then joining in. Councilman Chiles believes if people in the Ozarks begin to be more environmentally friendly in their lives their friends and neighbors will join them.
- “The Green Horizon” is energy security, economic development and a sustainable environment.
Now, I missed some points I’m sure as I scribbled notes but as you can see there was a lot of meat on the bones today. Councilman Chiles made a VERY solid case for his argument and I don’t find much that I disagree with in terms of the content of the talk. I really believe that if we were able to implement what Councilman Chiles is advocating it would be the best course for our community in the long term…I just wonder if we can get enough people on board and enough financial support to make it a viable possibility. However, I know I’m working on making my life more environmentally friendly (less driving, etc.) and if we all start there the ball can get rolling.
Thanks for the update on this morning’s meeting, and sorry about the ideological overtones. Conservatives who embrace issues regarded as “liberal” should be welcomed, not taunted. My Global Studies students hold a wide range of opinions on the global warming - sustainable energy - environmentalism nexus. They have taught me far more about the subject than I have taught them. But I take pride that they feel comfortable to speak and write frankly about their positions, with ideology pretty much checked at the door.
And good luck appeasing the future Mrs. Jason… this old husband has obtained good results with Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups.
Thanks, BYG. The overtones were really just a small part of the overall presentation but it was an intense small part. The way I see it, the Bush hate that is going on now is just the reverse of the Bill Clinton hate we saw during his term. I just hope we can get someone in the White House who won’t cause intense dislike from their opposition. I don’t think it’ll be this year.
I wasn’t taunted at all and there wasn’t any real direct pokes beyond shots at President Bush but I could just feel almost a presence there (if that makes sense.) The atmosphere in the room changed for about ten minutes during that portion of the presentation. It was almost surreal.
Jason,
I really appreciate the thought you put into your blogs and your need to make coverage of these types of events a political neutral affair. That being said it doesn’t strike me as odd that an event like this would contain such rhetoric and it would come from Mr. Chiles or people of the same political persuasion. Renewable resource energy isn’t a “conservative” or a “liberal” political theme to be used to garner votes. Where most people get the inclination that it is deemed as a liberal idea, is the fact that many in the democrat party before this type of action has been proven to be beneficial will try to use the force of government to implement it as a means to garner votes.
I would have to ask Mr. Chiles if he has installed renewable energy sources at his home or his place of business, and if not WHY ?? Actions speak louder than words and in order to get others to follow your lead you must lead with actions not rhetoric.
It isn’t the governments job to fund these types of renewable energy resources it is governments job to get out of the way and allow the private sector to do what it does best, benefit mankind. Personally using the War in Iraq as a means to try to use that same money to fund this type is simply playing to those that choose to use class warfare as a means to make political points. It would’ve been beneficial NOT to invade Iraq which means that money wouldn’t have been spent NOT in Iraq nor for renewable resources. This is the primary reason why people chose not to educate themselves on issues like this because of all the rhetoric that transcends both political parties.
People go to Jackson Browne concerts but as soon as he starts in on his nuclear holocaust crap people start yelling SHUT UP AND SING. People don’t pay good money to hear him pontificate about something he has NO knowledge of they pay to hear him sing and that is all. Perhaps Mr. Chiles can learn a lesson from Jackson Browne, that being discuss issues like renewable energy without the snide comments on political issues.
Thanks for your post. It’s great to hear what’s going on.
Just had a quick question: Why is 120 billion on Iraq and 1 billion on renewable energy so out of line? The Constitution was established primarily to provide for the common defense! That is what our taxes are meant to do.
I understand that becoming energy independant (I am a huge supporter, and always have been, of renewable energy) will be very helpful (possibly essential) to this goal. But so is Iraq.
We, as the strongest, most productive, most powerful nation on earth have a responsibility to confront tyranny. We must not over extend oursleves, by any means. But we must help those in need when we can, and certainly when it is vital to our own interests as in Iraq. We kill two birds with one stone (or in this case, a massive boulder!)
-James
Since when did Iraq fit into our Constitution ? Our founding fathers warned us about getting into foreign entanglements and we have been do the very thing that we were warned about.
Iraq has nothing to do with the security of this nation and had government actually been concerned with national security then 9-11 wouldn’t have been a problem, but NO we must stick our noses into every foreign affair known to mankind because we are the police/peace keepers of the world as mentioned by some.
We can keep diplomatic channels open without trying to run the various governments of other countries. When the “terrorist” threw the tea overboard in Boston Harbor which country came in and kicked England’s @$$#$ out. It appears the French played a minor role but had it not been for the 30% of insurgents in this nation rising up and over throwing the ruling government we would still be using the pound as money and be using the metric system.
An yes I used the modern day terms to define the revolution since it is quite similar to what we have currently in Iraq. When the people create an uprising then perhaps we should come to there aid, but if they aren’t willing to try to gain freedom on their own then they don’t want it bad enough.
Hey jason. Thanks for the post! Maybe you could post this on the new ONE discussion boards. It would be cool to get the community talking there.