Green Leaf Report

The North American Electric Reliability Council has a very one-sided suggestion for handling the projected energy demand increases in upcoming years: increase the energy supply. After I read this article I had to go look up more information on this non-profit council; it appears to largely consist of members of the utility industries. 

Businesses want to make money.  But when the result is expanding wastelines, McMansions for tiny families and ice-cycles in August, can’t we show some common sense?  Just because the demand is there, does not mean that it must be filled.  The demand for more energy should not cause a knee-jerk reaction for more power plants from any regulatory agency. 

Maybe we should require more energy efficiency in our homes and offices to decrease our demand.  Or perhaps energy prices in peak times should increase to reflect the supply/demand curve. In every generation we’re finding things that we cannot live without: things that the previous generation never imagined.  Maybe we can live without some of these items, even if it means the energy industry doesn’t make an extra buck.