Coaled Sweat

The U.S. Energy Information Administration recently reported on gas emissions by state, and Texas was rated number one in producing the most greenhouse gas emissions in the country. The cause? "The burning of high-carbon coal to produce cheap electricity."

Despite this information, Texas has tried again and again to create more coal-burning power plants, rather than closing any or seeking alternatives. One concern with closing the plants is the loss of jobs in the area in which they operate. What the owners of these plants do not want you to know is the job opportunities the alternative energy sources would create. Most of these jobs would be created in regions of Texas that could use an economic boost, like south and west Texas.

Democratic leadership leads the fight for alternative fuels and energy-saving solutions and continues to fight an uphill battle in a Republican-led state. Is Texas doomed to repeat the mistakes which make us number one in the wrong category? Is there a cost-effective, appealing solution to bridge the two worlds of energy consumption and energy efficiency?