 We recently queried U.S. Senator Evan Bayh of Indiana about his position on various environmental issues. Here are the questions and his responses.
Grassroots Green: In implementing a Declaration of Energy Independence, what specific actions do you recommend citizens take for energy efficiency? How could the federal government encourage such action?
Senator Bayh: There are many small things that citizens can do to become more energy-efficient. Fortunately, many of them can be done relatively easily and often can help save money in the short and long runs. Here are a few suggestions:
- Set your thermostat higher in the summer and lower in the winter. Just a few degrees’ difference can save energy and money.
- Walk, bike, carpool. It’s easy to get into the habit of driving everywhere, but often it doesn’t take that much longer to walk. Next time you need to run to the convenience store around the corner for milk and bread, give it a try.
- Buy locally. Buying locally produced products and locally grown food not only supports the local community, but also saves energy, because products do not need to be shipped great distances to reach you.
The government can, and does, offer tax incentives to people who buy certain energy-efficient products, such as hybrid cars.
Grassroots Green: What practical steps do you advise for citizens to take to address global warming?
Senator Bayh: The first step is to become more knowledgeable about the issue. The more you know about global warming, the more you can do to address it. The steps I mentioned above are a few of the many easy ways that you can individually reduce your energy consumption and thereby reduce greenhouse gasses, which contribute to global warming.
Grassroots Green: What legislation in the next five to ten years could the federal government enact for a sustainable future?
Senator Bayh: Congress is already enacting legislation for a sustainable future. H.R. 6, the Clean Energy Act of 2007, which passed the Senate with my support, was an important first step in breaking our addiction to oil. This legislation sets aggressive targets to reduce our dependence on foreign oil, increase biofuels production and infrastructure, promote advanced vehicles and technologies, increase automobile and truck fuel economy, and invest in carbon capture and sequestration. H.R. 6 takes the nation a long way toward a forward-looking solution based on clean, renewable and alternative energy sources that make us less dependent on foreign oil and more sustainable.
While H.R. 6 goes a long way, I believe that we need to do more, and that is why I’ve proposed S. 339, the Dependence Reduction through Innovation in Vehicles and Energy Act (DRIVE Act). This legislation aims to reduce American use of oil by seven million barrels a day by 2026 by enhancing the production and use of alternative fuels, encouraging the construction of more alternative fuel pumps at gas stations, and expanding vehicle choices for consumers by requiring manufacturers to produce more flexible fuel vehicles (FFV), hybrids, advanced diesels, plug-in hybrids and other alternatively fueled vehicles.
Grassroots Green: What help is available from the federal government for citizens who wish to become more energy-efficient in their homes and everyday lives?
Senator Bayh: The Department of Energy has a website devoted to becoming energy-efficient and the tax breaks available to people who buy energy-efficient products. It can be found at: energy.gov/yourhome.htm.
Grassroots Green: What is the best way to encourage businesses to become more energy-efficient and environmentally responsible?
Senator Bayh: One of the best ways the government can motivate a business is to offer it tax breaks. Part of my proposed DRIVE Act does just that. It provides tax credits for auto manufacturers who retool their facilities for the production of alternative-fuel cars and trucks. At the same time, the consumer holds the most power when it comes to motivating business. If enough consumers shop at businesses that are environmentally responsible and avoid businesses that are environmentally irresponsible, those irresponsible businesses will be forced to change their ways.
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Last Updated ( Wednesday, 12 March 2008 13:43 )
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