How can the U.S. government assist in conserving energy?

Question

I know many ways that we, the people, can reduce the use of so much energy. Can you think of any ways that the government could help us in conserving energy? Maybe some tips or suggestions that we cannot make ourselves?

Answer 1

They cant. Governments do not solve problems they create them sorry. Name one thing the government has done to improve anything.

OK OK I recognize that the smog problem was fixed in LA.

Cost of ownership of a home or car is a no brainer. Gas prices are clearly marked on the signs and you tend to know how much you drive so it should not be the govt resp. to put it down on the sticker price. People know how much they earn and before you buy a house you should know what you can afford and bailouts for people who made bad choices is not the job of the govt. The govt can not protect people from making stupid decisions only people can.

Answer 2

To refute Ned S, government solved the problem of the suffocating smogs in both London and Los Angeles.

What government can do:

1.  Change building codes so that efficiency is required in construction.

2.  Change leasing laws so that landlords have to disclose cost of heating and hot water.

3.  Change mortgage regulations so that the cost of energy for a house is accounted for when calculating how much the buyer can afford; the less energy the house uses, the more the buyer could spend on other stuff.

4.  Ditto for car loans.  Affordability should be determined based on a doubling of fuel prices (which we are all too likely to see if we don't get a recession!).

5.  Give tax breaks for office and commercial buildings which light with natural light instead of hundreds of fluorescent tubes.

6.  Deport all illegal aliens.  If they aren't here, they aren't consuming scarce water (Atlanta), electricity (California) or gasoline (everywhere).

Answer 3

I work at a federal building. They could conserve energy by turning out lights when nobody is around. They don't do it of course, but that's one way they could save a bundle on energy

Answer 4

Rolling black outs.

Answer 5

First, I would like to see a forced reduction of CO2 emissions by 25% applied to the supreme court.

Next, prohibit the use of air conditioning in any congressional office and the capitol.  Congress used to recess for the entire summer because DC is so miserably hot and humid.  Think how much better off we would be with those bozos back home instead of mucking up the country all summer.

Answer 6

The cheapest energy is the energy that you don't use. Tax incentives for energy conservation have the biggest bang for the buck. Beyond that, the government needs to stop financing non-renewable - dirty forms of energy which have a finite supply and start encouraging and financing renewable forms of clean energy. Sounds like the smart thing to do, right? Well, the 2007 energy bill originally eliminated tax breaks for the fossil fuel industry and used that money to finance renewable energy. Somehow that got reverted in the final bill. The fossil fule industry has somehow kept their tax incentives and the renewable energy didn't pickup the benefit as a result.

So how can the government help? Move the tax incentives away from fossil fuels and toward conservation and renewable energy programs.

Timothy D.

West Melbourne, FL

Answer 7

i think its great giving incentives to be energy efficient such as tax deductions and money back for using solar panels, driving hybrids, purchasing enery efficient appliances, even rebates on things like energy efficient lightbulbs. so many people don't buy these green products because they can't afford them.

Answer 8

Burn Forest waste to generate more energy

Answer 9

Everyone else has already thrown out some great ideas. But I just wanted to add legalizing hemp. We can run cars off fuel created from hemp and it is extremely cheap to grow. Currently, it takes more energy to manufacture corn-based fuel than the energy you get out of it. That's crazy if you ask me! But that is not the case with hemp-based fuel. Why can't the government embrace the benefits of hemp? I wonder that every day.