The Road Not Taken

Presidential candidates Barack Obama, John McCain, and “Mock” presidential candidate Paris Hilton have all weighed in on their direction for the environment.

While pushing back against John McCain’s latest ad which includes her in it, the Paris Hilton video proposes a *hybrid* approach to solving the energy needs of the future: off shore drilling with strict environment and rapid development of renewable energy.

What is being overlooked … and what Obama points to in urging Americans to inflate their tires (itself a 3-4% fuel savings per car) … is the need for each of us, and all of us to take responsibility for the sum total of our actions.

Just as peace in the world begins with peace in the heart … and at home, so too does reducing our oil addiction begin with each decision and each act we take to reduce our own personal consumption.

Can we make this shift voluntarily?

In Germany, the recent shift from voluntary compliance to a mandatory requirement for solar heating for all new and remodeled homes has caused such resentment among town residents that this citizen response serves as a timely reminder to the rest of the world.

In today’s world, where you and I … or a Paris Hilton can decide where to fly to get our next good tan … voluntary actions may not work.

What we’re waiting for, in my opinion, is a president who can use the word MANDATORY and back it up with laws.