Everyone has fears about the future.  If you aren’t afraid of something, you may want to see if your heart is still beating.  The question is – are those fears rational?  Are they based on objective reality – or emotions?  This 5 part series is about things that I’m afraid of.  Are my fears rational?  I welcome your opinions.

This is post five of five. 

Post one is about divisiveness in America and the need for us to unite – or fail.

Post two is about the abandonment of “Fair and Reasonable Compromise” in our political process.

Post three is about propaganda and misinformation in American society.

Post four is about the loss of our Democracy to special interest groups.

Fear #5:  America is sticking it’s head on the sand on society’s greatest challenge – and its greatest opportunity.

The United States could, and should, be leading the world in what will likely be greatest economic transition since the dawn of the Industrial Age.

The jobs and wealth creation for the middle class could be enormous.  Perhaps as big as the post WWII economic boom.

We could, and should, be putting American innovation, American knowhow, American scientific expertise, American entrepreneurship, American leadership, American competitiveness and American workers against solving the looming energy and climate crisis.

It’s a tough challenge for sure, but no one should doubt America’s ingenuity and resolve.  We have solved challenges many times before.

Those who say “nothing can be done about climate change” or that we should continue to rely on dirty oil and coal as our primary energy source forget who we are and what we can do.

Americans step up to a great challenge and deliver real solutions.  We helped win WWII.  We put men on the moon.  We created the internet.  We decoded the human genome.  We held back the spread of communism.  We “Led” the world in many, many ways and we can do it again.

We can solve the energy crisis while solving climate change at the same time – if we put American ingenuity and enterprise to work.

But not when our heads are in the sand. 

Not when we remain in denial of the obvious. 

Not when we let un-informed talking heads in the media and oil industry funded propaganda control us.

Fortunately, we are on to them.

Those who think that we will let Fossil Fuel companies and ideological billionaires control our media, spend millions on lobbyists and “Super Pac” donations to buy our political process while funding campaigns to misinform and manipulate us on an issue that is a direct threat to us and to our children are DEAD WRONG.

They tried it before.

but now we know their dirty trick too well.

It was a good trick though, and it worked for a while.  No more.

The oil companies are re-using the same strategies of deception used by the tobacco companies back in the 60’s and 70’s.

Tobacco companies developed the strategy of “manufacturing doubt” to hide the deadly impact of smoking.   Pay a handful of “scientists” to conduct studies that contradict the actual overwhelming evidence then get them on TV or radio whenever possible. 

This creates the illusion that there are “two sides” and that the issue remains controversial – even when the evidence is 99% conclusive – and deadly.

Sure, it worked for a while, but overtime, the truth became too obvious – especially as our friends, co-workers and family members died all around us.  

Kind of like the climate system is telling us the truth now.    We have a serious climate problem.  9 out of the last 10 years are the hottest on record and 2012 may be the hottest year yet, at least until 2013.

While doubt may be an effective marketing strategy to keep the profits flowing, denial of climate change from fossil fuel emissions is not an effective strategy for the well-being of human society.

If you think the current climate change is not because of man, then the oil company strategy of deception has been effective – so far.   Don’t let them fool you!   They have trillions of dollars worth of oil, gas and coal reserves that they will DO ANYTHING or SAY ANYTHING to protect, including buying media, propaganda, fake scientists and politicians.    

They threaten your children and your children’s children – as well as the economic health and world leadership position of your country.  The rest of the world is leaving us behind – because we have our heads in the sand.  It does NOT need to be this way.

We already have the technology.  We have the knowhow.  We have the manpower (and woman power). 

We have practical, local clean energy solutions to keep more money and jobs in our communities.

Oil companies are holding us hostage; holding back American innovation and American leadership.

It’s time to take our energy dollars back and invest it in our communities – to invest in American solutions instead of middle-eastern “oil cartels” and tax payer subsidized multi-billion dollar, multi-national, job exporting oil and energy companies.

Americans are a responsible people.  When it comes right down to it, we do the right thing.  We do the responsible thing.  We have a responsibility now.  This responsibility is not to help pad the very full pockets of oil companies and billionaires.

In America, our responsibilities are to our families, friends and neighbors.   We must protect them and their children from further climate disruption.  

We know what is right.  We know reducing fossil fuel dependence will make America stronger.  It’s time to step up and get it done.