Memo to Barack Obama

Shortages are not in short supply these days, here in the USA: we have a shortage of credit, a shortage of jobs, a shortage of budget revenue, and a shortage of good will from around the world.

But one thing not in shortage is advice for the incoming President. It seems everyone is offering a "Memo to Barack Obama" promoting his or her favored cause.

Alright then, here is ours, in two parts.

Part One was posted previously, on November 21. It was titled "The Magnitude of Risk" and contained a seven step plan to confront global warming and climate change. First on the list was a targeted effort to develop molecular manufacturing, combined with an equally well funded and strongly emphasized effort to research and understand all the implications of the technology.

In today's Part Two of our Memo to Barack Obama, we have simplified the advice to three short sentences, following an introductory statement:

Dear Mr. President-Elect,

In addition to tackling the current economic crisis, managing two overseas wars, overhauling the broken health care system, and restoring confidence in the agencies and departments of the Executive, we urge you not to ignore the looming danger of climate change caused by global warming.

We know you have pledged to make this a top priority in your new administration and we trust you to do so. Amid the many challenges you will face, nothing is likely to have a more lasting effect on the citizens of the United States and their descendants, all the people of the world and their descendants, and indeed the Earth itself in all its beauty and the fragile balance of its ecosphere.

Action is required now. Not in 2015 or 2020, but immediately, starting on January 20, 2009. We believe the most crucial objectives can be summarized in three major points:

1. Drastically reduce energy production from fossil fuels as quickly as possible
2. Launch a crash program to develop clean and efficient alternative energy sources
3. Get every major country in the world on board

Inaction could be fatal, literally, to many members of our species and to thousands of other entire species. We know you know that. 

Fortunately, solutions are available. Both existing and emerging technologies can be brought to bear and make a huge impact on the problem. Our area of specialty -- advanced nanotechnology -- offers especially promising opportunities for greenhouse gas reduction, climate change mitigation, and sustainable energy generation.

We promise to support your efforts and those of other world leaders who are willing to take the tough stands and to do what's right even when it may not be easy or popular. We think you are that kind of leader and we ask you to reward our belief in your ability to take on this greatest of all challenges.

With sincere best regards,

Mike Treder
Executive Director
Center for Responsible Nanotechnology

Bonus for blog readers! Here is some news about a new (at least to me) source of energy that might be applied to point two above:

The new device, which has been inspired by the way fish swim, consists of a system of cylinders positioned horizontal to the water flow and attached to springs. As water flows past, the cylinder creates vortices, which push and pull the cylinder up and down. The mechanical energy in the vibrations is then converted into electricity. . .

The scientists behind the technology, which has been developed in research funded by the US government, say that generating power in this way would potentially cost only around 3.5p per kilowatt hour, compared to about 4.5p for wind energy and between 10p and 31p for solar power. They say the technology would require up to 50 times less ocean acreage than wave power generation. . .

Michael Bernitsas, a professor of naval architecture at the University of Michigan, said it was based on the changes in water speed that are caused when a current flows past an obstruction. Eddies or vortices, formed in the water flow, can move objects up and down or left and right.

"This is a totally new method of extracting energy from water flow," said Mr. Bernitsas. "If we could harness 0.1 per cent of the energy in the ocean, we could support the energy needs of 15 billion people. In the English Channel, for example, there is a very strong current, so you produce a lot of power."

Comments

[the oakster1]

Well, here I agree one hundred percent. I recently(maybe a few months ago) viewed the latest and greatest global warming National Geographic show(seems global warming, supervolcanoes are the National Geographic and Science Channel specialites; or, they're better at those than most other things) . . . six degress that can change the world; to me, this was the most powerfull and persuasive such show yet; the fact that if you wreck the ecosystem in the attempt to fix the economy will do us all no good seems to be the biggest generalization that comes to my head; and, this may come sooner than we think(within ten years; one recent physorg article suggested we're already past the first two degrees of human global warming). Not all is lost, but it's happening right around the same time nano-manufacturing is happening; the idea to go to space to solve the problem is too late; the only line of defence seems to be to go full bore nanotechnology.

[GEORGE BATTLE]

Dear President Elect Barack Obama

In the mist of this economics crisis when money is needed.I have heard a penny per gallon tax on gasoline would generate a billion dollars over night.I suggest we look at paying off or rising the billions of dollars we need to buy our way out of this depression.

[d]

NO MORE BAILOUTS UNLESS YOU WANT TO BAIL ME OUT

[Don]

I would like to get this message to President Elect Obama.

Dear Mr. President Elect Obama
First let me congratulate you on yours and our victory in November.
I have watched in the past eight years my savings go to 0, my retirement down to very little, and my debt rise. When President Clinton left office I had money saved back for emergencies. I had a nice retirement going and was on my way to becoming debt free. I hope that my family and I and all the other Americans like me will be able to gain this back under your leadership. With that being said I have an idea that I would like you to give your consideration.

Thirty two years ago I had an idea for an electric car nation. Cars would be able to travel on the interstate system as far as they chose without a recharge.
This would have the potential of jump starting the economy and would also save the American Auto industry.
If we took 400,000,000,000 of the bail out dollars and bought 120,000,000 electric cars from the big three, their problems and ours would be over.
That should be about a car for each household in America. Another plus is no more foreign oil. If this sounds intriguing to you than please contact me for more information.
Sincerely
Don Gray.

[Tom Craver]

Um, George?

If your implict goal by focusing on a gas tax was to encourage gas conservation, I think you've got a little problem, if you're expecting it'd really generate that much revenue.

$1 billion from a penny a gallon tax is 100 billion gallons. Assuming maybe 100 million actively driven vehicles in the US, that'd be 1000 gallons per vehicle.

That'd take a whole lot of driving to make a billion dollars, "overnight" or not.

On the other hand, I might like to see a "gas price stabilization" tax. It makes no sense for gas prices to fall this low (about $1.50 near me) after being near or over $4 for nearly a year.

Perhaps pin it at about $2.50 a gallon with a variable gas tax, and use the revenues to store up larger oil and modest gas reserves that are guaranteed to be released (rather than taking a special government decision) if the price goes over $2.50 a gallon?

That'd kill any future speculation of the kind that is claimed to have been the basis of $4 a gallon gas, and we could raise the price smoothly over time to drive reduced consumption for lower CO2 or energy independence or whatever.

[Bishnu Parajuli]

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