Long-term Solutions Needed

Financial assistance in the form of tax cuts and rebates, targeted at those most in need, are necessary for short-term relief. Fiscal solutions are, however, unsustainable in the long-term, as the cost of non-renewable energy resources is expected to continue to rise.

Even if energy prices were to decrease drastically, what’s to guarantee they won’t spike again next month, next year, or further down the road? (We recently saw a huge dip, during the ‘global economic crisis’, only to see prices rebound to just-below record levels.)

Gasoline prices in Nova Scotia have risen by 47% from 2001 to 2007 (34% above inflation) and home fuel prices have risen 50% (37% above inflation) in the same time. (Source: NS Department of Energy.)

It’s a rollercoaster ride, a turbulent one at that, and with no end in sight. In order to ensure affordable home heating now and into the near future, we need solutions that decrease our dependence on non-renewable energy resources, or fossil fuels, like oil, coal and gas. Only then will we avoid simply passing the problem down to future generations.

Global Warming & Climate Change

Supply may not be our biggest worry. Burning fossil fuels releases ‘greenhouse gases’ (like carbon dioxide and methane) into the atmosphere, so-called because they trap heat. We’ve been emitting these polluting gases faster than the Earth can absorb and neutralize them, and the resulting build-up is causing global temperatures to rise.

If this trend continues as predicted, the consequences will be catastrophic. Global sea levels could rise by more than 20 feet, devastating coastal areas worldwide.

Posted by Mike Targett | Email a comment