You can tell work's a little slow right now.

I was lamenting to myself about how angry and negative sounding the global warming thread got, so I figured. . . tack! Try a new direction.

These are things I would like to see attempted. And attempted without more government regulation and increased tax dollars for the average consumer.

1. More regenerative braking systems on large, fuel hungry vehicles. The truck that picks up my garbage is really big! In normal operation it accelerates at full throttle for 50 feet and then slams on the brakes. Surely a regenerative brake system would pay for itself, particularly when you think in terms of a whole fleet of these monsters. Same thing goes for any vehicle that operates in stop and go fashion i. e. UPS and mail trucks, school and city buses. Sure it's expensive, but so is fuel for these vehicles.

2. Reduced rush hour traffic. I work three days a week, twelve hour shifts. That reduces my commute by 40%! Think about it for a minute. How much fuel would that save if the 3/12 work week was the norm? And for me, it is a major quality of life issue. I hate sitting in traffic!! It won't work for everyone but, for most of us it could, and the potential savings is enormous.

3. Establishment of an "alternative" energy utility. Seventeen States, I think, offer tax incentives for private home owners to put solar panels on their roofs. I think it is up to $50,000 in New Jersey!

Florida is not one of them. And the power companies are not very receptive either. So, why not give them a little competition? Yes, the State would have to authorize a new utility, but it could be funded like any other utility. You sell bonds to the private sector to finance it. Then, strip mall developers and others, could retrofit or include solar power in their initial developement.

Florida also has a lot of citrus trees. A blight called "citrus canker" has wiped out, by one estimate, 17,000 acres of productive grove and nurseries. Why not encourage the citrus industry to get into "wind farms"? Again, with private sector funding, the tax payer is not burdened, and I believe day-one profitability can be achieved.

Thanks for tuning in, I think I'll have some breakfast and go for a walk.