Clean Energy Nation Freeing America from the Tyranny of Fossil Fuels

About this book

Dangerous CO₂ emissions, massive oil spills, dwindling supplies: the problems with fossil fuels are driving a long overdue reassessment of America's energy policies. US Congressman Jerry McNerney, is a renewable energy engineer and the first representative with expertise in energy independence. In Clean Energy Nation, he and journalist Martin Cheek make an impassioned argument for drastically reducing dependency on fossil fuels and developing sustainable, readily available energy sources, such as solar, wind, biofuel, geothermal, and hydrogen-based power.

Bringing together a rare combination of scientific knowledge, political savvy, and insightful journalism, the authors reveal the pros and cons of alternative energy sources and examine how America became addicted to fossil fuels in the first place. Clean Energy Nation reads like the dramatic story it is, complete with dire projections about peak oil and grim scenarios of rising oceans... keen insights into policies and players that have stalled progress on climate change and favored big oil...and astute recommendations for building a clean energy economy and a prosperous, stable future.

Contents

Foreword by Denis Hayes ix
Introduction: A Declaration of Energy Independence 1

SECTION ONE: America's Energy Past and Present 7
1. The End of the Fossil-Fuel Age 9
2. How to Become Dependent on Fossil Fuels 27
3. The Dawn of a New Energy Era 47

SECTION TWO: America's Energy Issues 75
4. Energy and Good Government 77
5. Energy and National Security 89
6. Energy and the Environment 103
7. Energy and the Economy 127
8. Energy and Transportation 143
9. Energy and Agriculture 159
10. Energy and Public Health 175
11. Energy and Education 187

SECTION THREE: America's Energy Future 201
12. Energy and Two Valleys 203
13. Energy and the World 217
14. Securing America's Energy Future 231
15. The Power of Leadership 245
16. The Other Road 259

Acknowledgments 265
Notes 267
Suggested Reading 297
Index 299
About the Authors 309

Customer Reviews

Biography

Congressman Jerry McNerney, PH.D., (Pleasanton, CA) was elected to California's 11th Congressional District in November 2006. He is a member of the House Select Committee on Global Warming and Energy Independence and the House Committee on Science and Technology. Prior to serving in Congress, he was an energy consultant for Pacific Gas and Electric, FlowWind, and the Electric Power Research Institute.

Martin Cheek (Morgan Hill, CA) has worked as a journalist for more than two decades, specializing in science and hightech industry.