Energy independence & emissions reductions: NOT an either-or?

Some people seem to think that when it comes to climate change and energy independence, you can't work in favor of one without taking away from the other. That's simply not so.

The United States has more than 250 billion tons of recoverable coal reserves-the equivalent of 800 billion barrels of oil, which is three times more than Saudi Arabia's proven oil reserves. Our most abundant resource is also one of the most affordable-providing electricity at one-third the cost of other major fuels like natural gas and petroleum liquids.

Furthermore, coal has become increasingly clean. Like we've said before, coal is 70 percent cleaner today than it was 35 years ago on the basis of regulated emissions per unit of energy produced. That's due in large part to funding for research and clean coal projects.

New advances in clean coal technology happy every day. Just last week, a scientist in Calgary "washed carbon dioxide right out of the air using the equivalent of a greenhouse gas sponge." Other clean coal projects include extracting hydrogen from coal for possible use for fueling cars.

These projects, like the clean coal projects before them, may well lead us away from foreign energy sources while meeting our commitment to lowering greenhouse gas emissions.

And I guess that's my problem with clean coal naysayers-because we won't know if we don't try. And frankly, nothing productive comes from pessimism. So don't you think it's time we stopped saying "we can't" and started saying, "let's give it a shot"?