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23 cents a day. That's what it would cost to get America on track to being a global leader in innovation again.
For decades, the US has lead the world in innovation--automobiles, computers, airplanes, the internet (thanks Al Gore!), and so on. But there's one major area where we're falling behind--renewable energy.
Even though some of the best alternative energy technology was developed right here in the US of A, we're quickly losing ground to other nations around the world. And one of those nations just so happens to be the fastest growing economy on Earth--did you know that China spends about $12 million an hour on clean energy? European nations like Denmark, Sweden, Spain, and the UK now meet sizable chunks of their energy demands from renewable sources--the US doesn't even get 1%.
And clean energy may very well be the most important sector for innovation right now--any nation, state, city, community, or even individual that can rely completely on renewable energy doesn't have to count on importing energy. They become safer, more secure--as well as cleaner.
Imagine a USA that doesn't spend $1 billion a day to import oil from the Middle East, and instead invests that money in infrastructure and technology--and creating jobs--back home. It's a safer, more productive situation, to be sure.
So what does all this have to do with a quarter? Well, that's (actually a little more than) it would cost to give American companies the incentives they need to invest in developing renewable energy sources and technologies--23 cents. That's the projected cost of the climate bill on the average consumer. That's how much it will cost to transform America's energy economy from the dirty, polluting, (and asthma-inducing) coal and oil of the past to the clean sources wind, solar, and goethermal of the future.
23 cents a day.
What do you think? Can you spare a quarter to help the US move towards energy independence, strengthens its national security, and remains a global leader of innovation for years to come? I hope so.
More on the Climate Bill:
The 5-Minute Guide to the Senate Climate Bill
Know the 7 Key Senators in the Climate Bill Battle
How to Follow the Climate Bill Every Step of the Way
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