I just moved down here from Tennessee last August, and I have to say — y’all Louisianians have a bad attitude.
When it comes to alternative fuels, the Louisianians I’ve met have expressed not just a lack of interest but a vehement opposition to any suggestion of incorporating new fuel sources into everyday lives.
I hate to generalize.
It’s a noted trend in other parts of the country as well — it’s just more obvious here.
For example, Sen. David Vitter’s recent comments about Obama “attacking traditional energy” come to mind.
In Louisiana, a state where 17 percent of jobs are dependent on oil and oil-related industries, it’s almost understandable not to hope for a future without that security.
So many people don’t.
And that’s funny.
Americans in general adopt new technology and become reliant on it so quickly, yet we fight, even fear, taking the energy industry to the next level.
It is this unfounded fear holding America back from becoming a progressive, energy-independent nation.
Yes, I did just say “unfounded.”
Phasing out one industry and replacing it with another is not a loss.
Economically, it would simply be a trade for something equal.
Over time, green jobs would replace oil jobs, and — taking into account the natural turnover that occurs in the workforce anyway — that won’t be quite the big deal people make it out to be.
In this particular case, many fringe benefits that aren’t talked about nearly enough would stem from this new economic focus.
As a country, oil dependence threatens our sovereignty.
For all that America is supposed to be as an independent nation, we’re very dependent on other nations for our energy. In November 2009, more than 60 percent of America’s oil demand was met from outside the United States.
In 2010, 30 percent of that oil came from countries on the U.S. Department of State’s Travel Warning List.
Basically, we remain indebted to unstable nations for as long as they supply us with oil.
And while oil spills have the potential to compromise our standing with other countries by making us look inept (for example, the failing safety rules in the recent Gulf Oil spill didn’t make us look very capable), facilitating the alternative energy industry is in line with the goals of other Western governments (as well as China) and necessary to reinforce America’s image as a world leader.
Not to mention we wouldn’t ever have to worry about the oil running out.
On a more local level, the oil industry has negatively impacted Louisiana’s marshlands, seafood industry and health.
But don’t get too optimistic.
Barring a complete draining of reserves, the world will probably never completely eliminate the use of oil.
Despite this, it is well within today’s means to begin utilizing alternative resources.
As the third largest oil- producing state in the United States, Louisiana has an opportunity to be a beacon of progress in this process, to leverage our local expertise into global influence.
We have all the right components: a vibrant intellectual center (LSU, in case you didn’t catch that), abundant economic opportunities, rich natural resources to draw from and a prime location for trade right between the Gulf of Mexico and the biggest river in the Northern Hemisphere.
While the transition will be far from immediate, it begins by urging our state and national governments to promote policy and designate funding toward research and job growth in the alternative energy sector and by exploring other economic opportunities outside of oil.
Macy Linton is a 19-year-old international studies freshman from Memphis, Tenn. Follow her on Twitter @TDR_Mlinton.