So, Donald… An open letter to Donald Trump
SportsRising oil and gas prices and the devastation of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita have finally highlighted a problem for the public: when it comes to energy, we’re in trouble! We import much more crude oil than we produce in the United States; 70 percent of our oil comes from five countries in the Middle East, arguably the most volatile and politically unstable region in the world.
We need to develop sustainable, renewable and safe energy sources to power our homes and businesses. A real danger, however, is that as the memory of Katrina fades and prices drop at the pump, the public will also lose focus and stop pressing politicians for change. What we need is a standard bearer: a big, vocal, powerful and charismatic standard bearer.
So, Donald… When are you going to build the world’s first self-contained skyscraper?
Just think about it: wind turbines on the roof, sheets of solar panels covering the south side of the building, and to heat and cool the building, biodiesel, made on site from discarded vegetable oil collected from the best restaurants in Manhattan. Inside, sunlight illuminates the living room while saving electricity; a greywater system recycles water throughout the building and can be reused for showers, toilets and lush landscaping on each floor. Bamboo floors and other renewable materials create a rich environment while promoting the concept of green living.
While you’re at it…
How does an “Adopt a Fireplace” campaign sound?
When it comes to lessening our dependence on foreign oil, one alternative being discussed is to rely more on domestically mined coal. Right now, burning coal is already responsible for generating more electricity in the US than any other method. Unfortunately, much of this coal is burned in highly polluting, outdated utility plants. In the Midwest alone, more than a hundred aging coal-fired plants spew pollutants responsible for the acid rain that has killed hundreds of lakes, streams, and rivers in the Northeast. Large amounts of mercury from these plants are deposited in the water and end up in both freshwater and ocean fish, turning one of the healthiest sources of protein into one of the most dangerous: mercury in fish threatens the unborn children of women who ingest it, threatening neurological damage resulting in a life sentence of some measure of disability. Airborne pollutants are also responsible for an exponential rise in asthma, especially in children. Increasing the use of coal without implementing immediate pollution controls would only intensify pollution and its consequences.
Environmental experts familiar with coal-fired plants estimate that it would cost $1 million per stack to reduce the pollutants emitted to acceptable levels. The utilities themselves have resisted this spending and have successfully lobbied to stop government enforcement of environmental regulations; the fledgling Bush administration quickly halted lawsuits, initiated by the EPA during the Clinton administration, that would have forced these plants to implement pollution controls.
So, Donald, where do you come in? With his visibility, his cult status, and his corporate influence, he could easily raise the money to fix every chimney pot in the country. NFL and NBA players, CEOs, Hollywood actors, producers and directors, billionaires with money old and new, and don’t forget Oprah, all have the means to donate a million dollars, or more. , to adopt a fireplace. We could virtually eliminate the problem of pollution from these coal-burning plants in no time, much faster than lawsuits and government interference will ever do. We could offer to repair these chimneys in exchange for a promise: that utility plants won’t sell their pollution credits to anyone else.
All the technology needed for these two projects is available today and would put this country on the path to sustainability and energy independence in no time. And Donald, you could pull it off, in great style.
I can see the future: a news week cover with an image of a towering Donald Trump and the headline, “Donald Trump Saves the World.” Sounds good.