Wednesday, November 27, 2013

Energy imbalance strangles democracy

NRGLab (ww.nrglab.asia) is dedicated to developing renewable energy alternatives for the future. By introducing electricity to the third world and making it more affordable for everyone else, we can democratize energy and information in ways never thought possible.  But in order to understand the relationship between energy, information, and good ol’ fashioned democracy, we must first examine what it means to be ‘democratic.’



Usually, people think of democracy in terms of its narrowest definition – everyone gets an equal vote on who will be their next leader. It dates back thousands of years to the ancient Greeks. As Winston Churchill so eloquently once put it, “Democracy is the worst form of government… except for all the others.”

The most crucial aspect to maintaining democracy is a well-informed electorate. When trusting people with the freedom of choice, we must also trust them with the truth. Who stands for what issue? What issues are the most pressing and important? Where is our world heading?

These questions influence voters, who influence policy, which, due to the nature of global politics, affects the entire world. And when it comes to energy policy, melting glaciers prove that no issue is more pressing.

We all depend on energy for our daily commute to work. To cook our food.  To heat our nightly shower. Economic stability depends on a nation’s reliable access to energy.  Yet a majority of sources like coal, oil, gas, and uranium, which are limited and only found in select places, are controlled by a handful of energy conglomerates.

What’s democratic about that?

When power is consolidated into the hands of a few, the majority become slaves to the minority. We’ve been conditioned to want fossil fuels for so long that our wants now far outweighs our needs. This moral dilemma of consumption versus social responsibility is restricting democracy. In order for citizens, CEOs, and politicians to be free to choose the best direction for our planet, we must first break free from big energy.

We have the ability to transcend the industrial roof thatched by the centuries preceding us. We can adapt to climate change by investing in clean-energy. We can demolish archaic economic thinking that threatens democracy for our children’s children by embracing carbon caps.

That’s why NRGLab keeps you up to date on daily developments around the world in energy, business, and new technology. We want you to stay informed. Stay curious. No matter where you live or where you’re from. New York. New Guinea. New Zealand. NRGLab wants to give you the freedom of choice as we work together towards a new and better tomorrow.


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