[Mpls] We Can Greatly Increase Our Wealth in Minneapolis

[Aaarty at aol.com]

The price of natural gas is supposed to go up 31% this year after  going up 
almost that amount last year. Imagine this trend continuing as it  probably 
will as natural gas gets harder to find and storms disrupt gas drilling  
operations in the gulf. Minnesota will be hurting as increasing  amounts of money 
flows out of our state. Developing and constructing renewable  energy technology 
and establishing a serious conservation plan is more important  than ever. 
Minnesota produces zero fossil and nuclear fuels. 
 
All fuels compete with each other. If we squander one fuel it can  drive up 
the price of other fuels. Power plants in our state and around the  world use 
coal, oil, natural gas and nuclear fuels. A very small percentage use  
renewable energy. People driving the wantonly wasteful vehicles are  driving up prices 
on all fuels around the world. 
 
Our federal government is doing almost nothing in the area of  conservation. 
Our governor and state government are doing nothing. With the  latest federal 
energy bill the oil, coal and nuclear fuel industries will get  billions of 
dollars and renewable energy will get small token amounts.  Minneapolis could 
and should show the world what can b done. There are state and  federal funds 
for installing solar and wind energy technology. If these  funds are used they 
will be refunded. If they are not used they, of course, will  not b refunded. 
 
 Conservation will help to keep billions of dollars in our  city and state. 
Renewable energy technology will likewise help to keep billions  of dollars in 
our city and state. Conservation and renewable energy will reduce  deadly 
mercury emissions and other pollutants. Maybe most important it will  reduce 
greenhouse gases. We can put beautiful arrays of grid tied photovoltaic  modules on 
the south facing sound barriers of our freeways and over parking  ramps. This 
is already being done in Europe and Scandinavia. 
 
We can't afford to get further behind. We can't afford to delay.  Global 
warming is banging on the door. Super storms due to a warmer atmosphere  are making
 their debut. They will b more frequent, more intense and longer in  
duration. Everyday the earth gets warmer. Every year more of the earths snow  cover 
melts. The snow cover reflects the sun's infrared radiation (heat) back to  
outer space. As the earth absorbs more heat the melting of the snow cover  
accelerates and we have a vicious cycle. We can't reverse global warming in our  
lifetime but we can and we must slow its progress and hope and pray its not too  
much of a geometric progression. 
 
Sincerely,  Don Johnson, Candidate for Mayor, 3808 Grand Ave So. Minneapolis, 
MN 55409 (612)  824 1111 _www.DonJohnsonMayor.org_ 
(http://www.donjohnsonmayor.org/)