The USA Green Lady  

After watching the Democratic and Republican National Convention, one thing really hit home.  We not only need change in Washington, but we also need to reclaim our independence.  We have become dependent upon other countries for our economic survival.  The foreign oil issue is finally coming to the forefront of American's minds as an issue that needs to be addressed and dealt with immediately.

The biggest difference that I saw with the two conventions was their action plans on energy.  They both agreed that measures needed to be taken in the U.S. to stop our dependence on foreign oil, however, one party embraced the conservation ideal more than the other.  The Republican Party embraced the growth and consumptive America that has lead us down this path and the Democratic Party stressed that conservation and alternative clean energy needed to be a priority.  The Republican Party stressed more nuclear power plants to be built and drilling.  The Democratic Party stated that drilling would have to occur to get us over this hurdle, but more money should be put into innovation in clean energy and renewable resources.

I am a proud American who loves my country.  I want to make sure that we understand how precious our natural resources really are.  I want our country to embrace the ideal that sustainable resources are the only moral choice for our prosperity and survival. 

Take a moment and think about your daily energy consumption.  Could you possibly lessen your energy usage?
Many people do not consciously think about the energy that they use, how it is made, where it comes from or even how much it costs them.  Right now I am typing on my computer which uses electricity.  I am also in a room with a light on which uses electricity.  I currently have my air conditioning off (I live in the South), but on many hot and humid days it is on.  If you were to ask me last week where the electricity that I use is generated from and where they got their fuel, I would have had no clue.  Now, I am more conscious about the impact that energy has on me, my family, my wallet and my environment,

This week, see if you are able to conserve energy that you would normally use.  This means opening up windows to allow fresh air in instead of air conditioning, using more natural light, walking or biking instead of driving, buying local goods instead of goods that are shipped from far away places and reading your energy bill until you understand how and where your energy comes from.