Making a complete switch to clean, sustainable power seems a bit of a tough sell at the moment, considering that oil still accounts for a whopping percentage of U.S. energy consumption. So what do we do now? Grist has a few ideas on how to slowly wean the nation off of oil (which should weaken the argument for offshore drilling at the same time):
By equipping its trucks with directional software that helps drivers avoid left-hand turns, UPS saved 3 million gallons of fuel in a year. If the nation's 270,000-some traffic-light systems all used technology that anticipated traffic patterns and reduced stop times, according to Laitner, they could cut transportation petroleum use by five to 10 percent. A national study into attacking fuel waste through information technology could yield more such gains.
Agreed. Now, more than ever, we need creative thinking to streamline energy consumption that could later help ease the transition to renewable energy. We might not be able to make an immediate leap to sustainable energy, but the least we can do is anticipate it.
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