U.S. Military Pushing to go Green, but not for the Environment

Energy efficiency and an independence from oil use in the military has become a top priority of the pentagon recently. However, it is not because the U.S. wants to save the environment, its about saving lives. In the past three months six marines have been wounded while guarding fuel trucks, and according to a 2009 U.S. army report for every twenty-four convoys delievering fuel to U.S. troops there has been either one soldier or civilian killed. The dozen Nato fuel trucks that were destoryed earlier this month while heading to Afghanistan has also been a factor in this recent push by the pentagon. Navy secretary Ray Mabus, a former ambassador to Saudi Arabia, says that he wants the Navy and Marines to be using 50 percent renewable energy by 2020. Some progress has already been made. The U.S. Air Force's entire fleet will be certified to fly on biofuels by next year, in which there will be a mixture of 50 percent plant-based biofuel and 50 percent jet fuel. Whatever the outcome of and reasons for this recent U.S. pentagon push, the U.S. and the world are going to have to start finding renewable sources of energy. With the world's oil supply slotted to run out sometime between 2040 and 2060 (some estimates prdeict earlier), the world isn't going to have a choice. Maybe the U.S. military will be the ones to lead the way for renewable energy in America, but only time will tell.

For more information read the article on yahoo news at http://news.yahoo.com/s/yblog_askamerica/20101016/pl_yblog_askamerica/u-s-military-ask-america-voters-see-green-future

By: Colin Zimmerman