Global Warming, Food Crises, Alternative Fuels and E85

The face of strife is ubiquitous. Worldwide, thousands of people starve to death in the poorest of countries. Their struggle to survive in areas torn by war, famine and natural disaster is only touched upon briefly in the evening or morning news. But no matter how much they are ignored, they are there.

Comparatively speaking, life in the United States is simple and privileged.

As much as many of us would like to ignore the sociological and economic impact and continue to drive our gas-guzzling SUVs, we need to awaken to the idea that we can change things for the better.

We, too, bear the burden stressing our overpopulated planet. Over the past several years, gas prices have skyrocketed as a direct correlation to America's involvement in war in the Middle East. Looking back at the prices of oil and gasoline over the past three decades, we saw the same spike in the '80s, when the Iraq-Iran war began. OPEC collapsed when consumers stopped buying its oil. It is a matter of historical record.

At the last peak of gasoline and oil prices, solar and wind energy were explored as sustainable alternatives - the technology was not available then, but it is now. We must prepare for a long term price hike, for many of our own businesses and stock holders are too invested in large oil companies to support an embargo.

There is no excuse not to adapt, even if the cost of oil per barrel does eventually decline.

For the so-called "liberal" following in Al Gore's lauded footsteps, reduction of waste is a way to reduce the individual's "carbon footprint." For the environmentalist, there are changes that can be made to reduce the amount of individual pollution generated over the course of the year. And finally, for the pragmatist, it is a way to reduce the cost of living and save, even a little bit at a time.

The theme is simple, repetitive: reduction.

It is more cost-effective to reuse and recycle than to buy excessively. Many simply throw away what they do not need in the United States - bad for the environment, bad for transportation costs, and all together terribly expensive.