Carbon Nation Highlights Green Hawks Efforts

Carbon Nation is no longer just an expression that describes the United States, it’s also a fascinating movie that’s been screening from coast to coast for the past 18 months. The result of Director/Producer, Peter Byck and his team is an exposé of our nation’s addiction to carbon and the inventive entrepreneurs who are changing the nature of energy production and sustainable practices. (Watch trailer below!)

I had the pleasure of attending a screening a few weeks back and hearing about the multi-year endeavor directly from Peter Byck. And while the film highlights a variety of people & energy projects, including a massive wind farm in Texas and geothermal installation in Alaska, one segment in particular stood out with regards to the actual cost of our dependency on fossil fuels in both dollars and human lives.

Colonel Dan Nolan (U.S. Army Retired)

All of us are painfully aware of the fact that the 2003 invasion of Iraq was about oil, no weapons of mass destruction, no connection to 9/11, no active nuclear program. We’re equally aware that over 100,000 innocent Iraqi citizens died in the process, as did more than 4,400 brave U.S. soldiers. The total bill for this irresponsible failure of foreign policy will exceed $1 trillion – all for one reason – access to Middle East oil.

Featured in Carbon Nation, Colonel Dan Nolan (U.S. Army Retired) is someone making a difference in the energy equation with his dedication to moving the military toward a more sustainable future. He’s not alone, of course, as members of every branch of military service realize that the best way to protect the lives of the men and women who serve this country is by adopting new methods of energy generation that don’t involve fossil fuels – solar, wind, biofuel, etc.

Energy Security for the United States creates a critical vulnerability in all of the elements of national power. In order to protect the free flow oil for ourselves and our markets, the U.S. commits billions of dollars in military, diplomatic, economic and information management efforts. Interruptions of the free flow means increased cost for American consumers and increased trade deficit with our trading partners. The cartel nature of Middle Eastern oil production means we must engage in other than free market activities to maintain the life blood of the economy. – Colonel Dan Nolan

As I mentioned in a previous blog post on national security and climate change, the military gets it! They understand the realities of our addiction to foreign oil and the resulting effect it has on their operations. Known as Green Hawks, these individuals are dedicated to protecting the United States within the understanding that energy independence is an important factor in achieving this goal.

According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration:

The United States imports 51% of its petroleum requirements
In 2009 this equated to about 11.7 million barrels per day
51% of these oil imports come from the Western Hemisphere
The Persian Gulf and Africa provide 17% and 22% respectively
The United States consumes 378 million gallons of gas a day
A $1 rise in gas prices diverts $2.6B a week from other spending
A $15 a barrel rise in oil prices causes a 1% decrease in US GDP

Carbon Nation is a movie that all of you should see, regardless of your understanding of climate change or political persuasion. It’s simply a well-made film that honors the efforts of so many citizens who are dedicated to creating a more sustainable planet.

Special thanks to Peter Byck for his devotion to this important issue!