From Guest Blogger Jake Fisher: What Does Green Energy Have To Do With National Security?

The men and women of the nation’s armed forces often deploy overseas to protect its energy interests around the globe, safeguarding foreign oil sources and the sea lanes through which they pass.

While the country strains and devotes its military resources to protecting oil-producing regions, citizens at home are left vulnerable to attack and national security is compromised. Standing up and fighting the green energy battle will not only break the country’s dependence from external sources but will also bring the men and women back home.

Wind Power is Good for America

The United States is one of the best wind resources in the world, with the wind power potential of 37 trillion kilowatt-hours of electricity – equivalent to about 10 times the country’s existing power needs. According to the American Wind Energy Association, only 3 percent of electricity currently comes from wind power, which can increase to 20 percent by 2030.

With the potential to heavily rely on wind to power the nation’s homes, it’s a wonder this natural resource isn’t taken advantage of in order to decrease the presence of oil-protecting military forces.

Shining Light on National Security

Ultimately, protecting the nation with a full force of troops is as important as protecting. With that in mind, more than 18 million barrels of oil are consumed per day by the United States, much of which is used to fuel cars and trucks.

A solar vehicle is an electric vehicle powered by direct solar energy. Solar panels convert the sun’s energy directly into electric energy providing power for the vehicle and its communications or controls.

Although solar vehicles are not sold as practical day-to-day transportation vehicles at the moment, investing in and sponsoring programs to make this a reality would alleviate the massive need for crude oil. This would also consequently lessen the need to rely on international entities to supply our substantial transportation systems.
Not Trashing Green Energy

Traditional trash-to-energy plants have a bad name in the U.S. – they simply burn garbage and emit a plethora of chemicals out of their smokestacks. But a new type of plants that turns trash to electricity and heat is catching on in Europe, where filters capture mercury, dioxin, and other toxins before they’re emitted.

While the U.S. has plenty of low-cost landfill space and the upfront costs of adopting such a technology are a barrier in the court of public opinion, doing so can be the final of the puzzle in going green and eliminating some of the burdens felt by the men and women overseas.

Going Green is a Fighting Machine

Yes, many men and women in uniform are still serving at home in the United States and protecting its citizens from harm. But with the extensive reach of the nation’s armed forces deployed across all parts of the world — preserving and protecting external energies — growing, the need to go green and invest in alternative energy is becoming an urgent issue. If you want to protect your home, invest in top home alarms, if you want to protect your nation invest in energy security.

If the nation cares about those who have sacrificed their time and energy to serve, returning that energy in the form of green can provide exceptional results not only to the environment, but also for national security. What other ways do you think going green energy could strengthen our national security?