Book Review: Apollo’s Fire, a Rocky Start and Ending
Apollo’s Fire, Igniting America’s Clean Energy Economy
Congressman Jay Inslee and Bracken Hendricks traded in their traditional Washingtonian politically correct handcuffs for some golden glove boxing. The authors come out swinging against the status quo energy champion with every policy & technology combo they could muster. In a Rocky-style fight of courage and conviction, Inslee and Hendricks showed Apollo Creed (i.e., fossil fuels) the way to retirement. According to the story-line, the weak and old fossil fuel carbon–laden champion is washed up and clean energy is the new reigning champion of the nation’s fast emerging energy efficient economy.
From the beginning to the middle of the book I could not get the Rocky movie theme song out of my head. I was too young to remember President Kennedy’s speech and later I was much more concerned with me going to Vietnam than men going to the moon. Then in the middle of the book the Apollo’s Fire theme got me. The frequent Apollo moon mission analogies got me hooked on the feeling the excitement the nation must have been experiencing at the time and the swelling of pride all Americans must have had when they beat the bad guy to the moon. The Apollo moon mission and Apollo clean energy vision are now much more synergistic.
The book is hard hitting, points fingers, and assigns blame – then it moves on. Congressman Inslee and Bracken Hendricks provide the reader with some great context and perspectives, interesting analogies, and some funny one-liners that help the reader swallow this really serious problem. They do not dwell on the past mistakes. The authors spend much more time invoking optimism and plans for our energy future. They give plenty of credit due to many of their colleagues on both sides of the isle. Apollo’s Fire recognizes many of the high profile entrepreneurs that are helping to ignite the new clean energy economy as well as the average citizens that are playing a role in fanning that fire everyday.
Apollo’s Fire is realistic glimpse into our energy future. Although it was printed before the passage of the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007, both writings sound hauntingly familiar. They have compiled over 300 footnotes that attack the old energy myths and blaze a research trail that validates the need for a future of new energy policies. Ethanol, biofuels, and flexible fuel vehicles were all included in their policy and technology suggestions – with some caveats.
What's missing in the Apollo Moon vs. Apollo Energy mission? What could be another compelling event the nation could celebrate and remember? Like the first man on the moon – maybe the nation could celebrate the last soldier coming out of Iraq. That would be a true Rocky ending we could all enjoy.
Many have asked the question, how can we go to the moon in 10 years and not be able to reduce oil imports in 30 years? I do not recall anyone in America that didn’t want us to get to the moon, even the man on the moon looked welcoming.
What do you think is standing in the way of the Apollo Clean Energy Vision?
I think getting away from fossil fuels is a great idea, but the only problem with many of the current alternatives is that they are not very "green". Indigenous peoples are losing traditional lands and rainforests are being cleared to make way for palm plantations that are then turned into palm oil for biodiesel. Not that green of a fuel. I think solar and electric need to be looked at much closer as possible solutions.
Posted by: Indigenous Rights Activist | February 09, 2008 at 08:00 AM