Interesting move made by the Obama administration recently, in fulfilling the much awaited promise of bringing green energy to America. To bring green energy to America.... hallelujah.. build it and they will come (the jobs, the feeling of salvation, the relief of doing something environmentally responsible) because after all, when it comes to climate change and melting ice caps, America is the number one offender. We know that, we all know it. But, with Obama in charge now, that's all going change, it is changing hallelujah! The newspapers, say so. Happening all around us. We will hold our heads high, at last, green energy! Praise green energy! Gateway to salvation, hallelujah! Can I get an Amen?
Headlines say that billions of dollars are being funneled into green energy plants all over the country, particularly, sunny California where the world's next largest solar thermal and solar energy plants are being built. I happen to be in southern California, for now, and I can tell you, we are happy to read that more jobs are coming into the area. As an American and world citizen, I can tell you, it feels like a huge relief that at last we can look anyone in the eye now, knowing that the U.S.A. has finally stepped up to the Co2 batting plate and we are finally taking that long awaited swing...... here comes the curve ball! Ready for this? There's a kicker!
Billions of dollars and miles of smile later- the country is feeling better about itself, the environmentalists are happy and California is going to be supplying the country with green energy and we are breaking ground and building ourselves a new future but, wait..... read the fine print on WHO exactly is building these plants. WHO exactly is behind the sunny face of these eco friendly company names and plucky websites like Solel and Stirling Energy Systems..... not Americans. Oh, no my friends. Americans aren't going to be building the largest solar thermal energy plant in the world (pause for effect)... in California.... Israelis are. And next to them in the Mojave desert, building the next most ambitious solar energy plant.... in California, for America, are the English. That's right, Brits. Because for some reason or another, those contracts didn't go to Americans. Don't you think that is a little strange? That one of the main pillars of the Obama campaign is the promise of green energy and the billions of dollars allotted to green energy goes right back out of the country to Israeli and U.K. owned companies? So what? We stopped importing foreign oil but, now we are going to import people to build new solar plants for us? And continue to make money off of the solar energy sold to us through their foreign technology? Really? Are you saying there weren't any competent American companies, contractors, scientists, professors, solar thermal energy plant building experts here, in America? Paying America's taxes, just like the rest of us. Paying..... out lives and hours at work, for this energy. This new green energy that's going to save us all.... pumping the country full of sunshine. Major faux pas, Obama administration. Major, riveting, long lasting, ironic, sick joke of a faux pas.
California is a hotbed of solar enthusiasts, scientists, companies, educators- in fact, of any place in the entire world- California is the mecca of solar and solar thermal energy and its experts. While the government may have been in denial about the need for alternative energy, the American people have been vigilant and resourceful and our technology is at the top of its game. Why in god's name did these huge, multi-gazillion dollar contracts go to foreign companies? Act of diplomacy? Payback? A little kickback, more of the same to come? Why did these green energy contracts not go to American companies? It is a freaking crime in this economy! American soil, American jobs, American companies going under left and right under the American sun in the Mojave where the American solar and solar thermal energy is being made..... by Israelis and the Irish. No, we don't even get to take credit for repairing the environmental damage our American ways have caused the entire planet. Now we have to thank Israel and the U.K. for stepping in to clean up our mess and show the big fat Americans who don't know nuttin' about solar plants, just how it's done.
Like the American economy hasn't had enough blows. Like the public opinion of American society isn't low enough. Like we need the jobs. Like we need national integrity and American pride as the rate of foreclosures continue to soar alongside unemployment and the promise of green energy jobs is the light and the end of the American economic tunnel. Like we need to open the door to the Mojave desert to everyone who isn't American, to come in and build us some solar thermal plants to such a scale that the entire world will take note and applaud. But, they won't be applauding us. They will be applauding the CEOs of Solel (Israel) and Stirling Energy Systems in partnership with Tessa Solar (U.K.) for landing such huge contracts on U.S. soil. Way to make several billion dollars off the stupid Americans, guys! Gee..... how did that happen? More importantly, WHY?
I wasn't even planning on writing this rant of an article. I was planning on telling the world how incredible solar thermal energy is and how it is so much more efficient than solar energy. What are the differences, what are the similarities? How does it work? What are the three main design types so far? And Obama just gives it away to a foreign company? That's American tax dollars, y'all. Millions and billions of dollars- out the window, past the borders, over the waters, and lining foreign pockets who are making their buck on our ground by powering our refrigerators and turning on our lights for us. Think about how you made the buck. How did you feel, making that buck? What does that buck really equate to, in terms of time on your life's ticking clock? I think we should all start making our own solar thermal/solar/hydro electric energy and screw the power companies, screw the government! Save your bucks for a bottle of wine or something that will make you smile and paint a picture in the time you saved your life by quitting your deadbeat job thanks to installing a few solar panels.
This means we can't even take credit for 'making the change' better for ourselves. That all the C02 saved by these plants and all the pollution not made and the degrees of heat saved worldwide, because the United States of America is finally fulfilling its promise to drop their production of greenhouse gases by 25%..... thanks to.... England and Israel. All hail the Queen! Shalom! Pass the butterbeans, Jed! You headin' to Walmart later, Daisy? duhHEE! Wuz a solar panel?
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