GREEN PARTY OF ALASKA
http://alaska.greens.org/
September 19, 2005
Contact: Green Party of Alaska Energy Advisor Jim
Sykes 907-745-6962
Energy Solution Can't be Found in Arctic Refuge
Cries to open the Arctic Refuge increase with the
price of gas. But, Arctic Refuge oil will not solve our energy
problem. So says the Green Party of Alaska as it reaffirmed its stand
as the only Alaska political party that opposes drilling in the Arctic
National Wildlife Refuge.
Our nation (including Alaska) has roughly 2% of
the world's oil, yet we consume 25% of the world's oil production.
"We cannot achieve energy independence with or without Refuge
oil. If we were to use up our meager domestic oil supplies without
shifting to renewable fuels, we expose our economy and military to
serious risks, leaving our nation totally at the mercy of foreign oil
producers. Our only hope of achieving energy independence is to
continue to import foreign oil while we rapidly reduce oil consumption
and shift to renewable energy," said Green Party Energy Advisor
Jim Sykes.
Sykes added, "As we reduce our dependence on
foreign oil and develop renewable energy our economy will benefit. The
United Kingdom is making this shift and their economy is on the
rise."
Many locations in Alaska have bountiful, steady
wind available for power generation and hydrogen production.
"Even solar energy has potential in Alaska, odd though it may
sound," said Sykes, whose house is largely dependent on solar
panels near Palmer, Alaska. He said, "Alaska could lead the way
toward clean energy independence."
In order to make the shift from an oil-based
economy to renewable fuels we will need natural gas. While there are
an estimated 60 trillion cubic feet of natural gas on Alaska's North
Slope, very little of it is expected to be found in the Arctic Refuge.
Like oil, most of Alaska's gas is now available under state lands.
The Union of Concerned Scientists has proposed a
very reasonable plan to make the shift to renewable fuels without
major changes to the way we live. "Alaska has a wonderful
opportunity to provide our nation with oil from state lands now,
natural gas soon, and hydrogen in the future, while we keep our Arctic
Refuge 'savings account' for future generations. It's a win-win
situation," said Jim Sykes, former Green candidate for U.S.
Senate.
"It's time for Alaska to set a positive
long-term energy course. We are sick of the paying at the pump, paying
with the lives of our troops, paying for our last remaining wild
places, and paying for a warming planet all with the blood money of
greedy and self-serving oil conglomerates," said former Green
Party chair Soren Wuerth.
