Here is what true national leadership would be saying today to help assuage the national problem of oil addiction, over consumption of energy, air pollution and global warming.
If we had true national leadership in Congress, in the White House or even in a respectable Agency (any of which can grab a national podium and make it on the national news and reach millions of people rather quickly), they would step forward and talk about conservation. Today. Now. Immediately.
And since they won't because they are not true leaders in any sense of the word, WE the People must act on our own.
Here's how after the fold...
This is an old lesson, that works. Immediately. (I want to stress that, since so many pundits are trying to spin this as "a problem that needed to be solved years ago" which is utter irresponsible horse hockey).
Today you can cut your gasoline usage by at least 10%. Immediately. Today. All you have to do is drive slower on the highway and turn off your air conditioner or both.
Driving slower on the highway increases your fuel efficiency immediately. In my little SUV I get 26 MPG on the highway when I drive under 60MPH. When I drive over 70 I get 22. Period. The source of the added efficiency is from lower wind resistance and better engine performance at lower RPMS.
Don't believe? Try it for a tank. Do the math.
I haven't measured the effect of the air conditioner yet, and I probably won't. It eats up gas because the engine has to work like the car is always going up hill. Screw it.
Second step is to turn off your freaking heater. In your house that is! It's April and if it's a little nippy at night snuggle up. Turn it off and leave it off.
Third step, if you have a household air conditioner don't use it.
Here's what happens when you don't run heaters and air conditioners all the time in a squirrel race to maintain an ever elusive comfort zone. You acclimatize. And the weather just feels fine.
Conservation is easy, cheap and will save you money and reduce the burden your standard of living places on this planet. Yes, the root cause of global climate change is the American standard of living.
Welcome to the reality based community. Now please turn out the lights when you leave the room.