Last week I drove past a BP gas station and noticed the outrageous price of $3.79 per gallon. It was alarming to see the harsh reality of gas prices actually climbing closer to $4.00 per gallon.
According to ColumbusGasPrices.com, the average price of gas in Columbus is $3.49 per gallon and the national average is $3.59 per gallon.
Due to the heated battle for the presidential race, I decided to examine the candidates' different plans to develop clean energy that will improve our environment and reduce our dependence on foreign oil.
Sen. John McCain offered the shortest amount of information about how to improve our environment. According to Johnmccain.com, McCain "has offered common sense approaches to limit carbon emissions by harnessing market forces that will bring advanced technologies, such as nuclear energy, to the market faster, reduce our dependence on foreign supplies of energy, and see to it that America leads in a way that ensures all nations do their rightful share."
I was concerned when I read this passage because it did not explain how long it would take to implement the plan or how much it would cost. Furthermore, his only example for renewable energy was nuclear energy. This has gained a strong social stigma because many Americans feel that nuclear plants are hazardous. There is also the issue of developing a safe place to store the nuclear waste.
The implementation of Yucca Mountain to store nuclear waste has been delayed for how many years? Clearly, McCain did not put my mind ease about our dependence on foreign oil.
Next, I scanned Sen. Hillary Clinton's campaign Web site and was a little more relieved to see a detailed plan to promote energy independence and address global warming.
Clinton plans to implement a cap-and-trade program, increase fuel efficiency standards and create a Strategic Energy Fund to increase research and development. According to Hillaryclinton.com, "Recognizing that transportation accounts for 70 percent of U.S. oil consumption, Hillary would increase fuel efficiency standards to 55 miles per gallon by 2030, but would help automakers retool their production facilities through $20 billion in Green Vehicle Bonds."
This plan sounds like an effective way to reduce our dependence on foreign oil but it will take a large amount of money and over 20 years to discontinue the current "gas guzzlers" that are currently driven by consumers.
Lastly, I visited Sen. Barack Obama's campaign Web site and found the most comprehensive plan to reduce carbon emissions.
Obama, like Clinton, also supports a cap-and-trade system. He plans to invest $150 billion over 10 years in clean energy, double energy research, require 25 percent of renewable electricity by 2025, increase renewable fuel standards, increase fuel economy standards and develop clean coal technology.
According to Barackobama.com, "Obama will require 36 billion gallons of renewable fuels to be included in the fuel supply by 2022 and will increase that to at least 60 billion gallons of advanced biofuels like cellulosic ethanol by 2030."
I believe that Obama has the best plan from among the candidates that includes multiple approaches to help reduce our dependence on foreign oil and improve our environment. t&c;
LIANNE SIMEONE IS A SENIOR JOURNALISM AND SPEECH COMM. MAJOR AND STAFF WRITER FOR THE t&c.;
