There Are Better Alternatives To Drilling For More Oil

Once again the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge is being targeted by proponents of drilling even though it contains too little oil to quench the oversized thirst of our nation.

The refuge, founded in 1960 and expanded 20 years later, covers nearly 20 million acres of truly remote wilderness. This enormous and diverse landscape is breathtaking to behold and is part of America's natural heritage.

With gas prices on the rise, the knee-jerk reaction is to call for drilling in environmentally sensitive areas and to blame environmentalists for not allowing access, but first consider this:

Starting in 2011, U.S. automakers will be required to raise the average fuel economy of new cars and light trucks from 25 mpg to at least 35 mpg by 2020 - a 40 percent increase.

Reaching 35 mpg by 2020 will save 1.1 million barrels of oil per day, save consumers billions of dollars at the pump and significantly reduce global warming pollution. Just look around and you already see more gas-saving hybrid vehicles on the roadways.

Many businesses and homeowners are turning to "green buildings," which are healthier, better for our communities, more economical in the long run and conserve both energy and natural resources.

This is extremely important considering the fact that in the United States alone, buildings account for 70 percent of electricity consumption, 39 percent of energy use and 39 percent of all carbon dioxide emissions. Local and state governments are adopting green building incentives and requirements.

Clean, renewable energy production is on the rise. Solar, wind and geothermal are viable alternatives that reduce our dependence on fossil fuels while protecting our air and water. Production of cellulosic biofuels can serve as an interim solution and farmers can erect power-generating wind turbines in their fields alongside crops.

Energy use should be minimized through conservation and efficiency, and sustainable, renewable energy sources should be utilized to meet human needs.

The solution is a combination of many things from improvements to our built environment; fuel efficient vehicles; multimodal mass transit; energy-efficient appliances; products made from recycled materials; and a whole host of innovative technologies (for example "smart buildings" that turn off lights and lower or raise the temperature in rooms that aren't being used) along with increased awareness of how our behavior and buying patterns impact our energy consumption.

There are many factors driving up the price at the pump - volatility of some oil-producing nations, our nation's failure to pass an energy policy long ago that would wean us off fossil fuels, oil companies that are charging record high prices but who haven't invested in any new refineries, speculation in the marketplace and resistance by car manufacturers to increase fuel mileage standards.

There is plenty we can do instead of wreaking havoc on one of our last remaining wilderness areas. We don't have to sell the Arctic refuge to pay our gas bill.