This Moment on Earth: on Technology


John Kerry: Technological advances make environmental progress cheap

Naysayers have argued that meeting environmental challenges is too difficult or expensive; too complicated and divisive. But those arguments ignore recent history, not to mention the stunning tradition of American achievement. In the early 1990s, Congress set out to renew the Clean Air Act, providing the first real opportunity to address acid rain at the national level. There was the inevitable tug-of-war between the power industry and the environmentalists. The environmental community argued it would take half the time at half the cost [than industry estimates].

Guess what? They were both wrong. It took half the money the ENVIRONMENTALISTS had predicted to achieve better air quality standards. Why? Because no one could anticipate the scale of technological advances achieved once the decision was made and goals were set. The lessons learned? Don't listen to those who counsel despair and never underestimate the ingenuity of our scientists, engineers, and entrepreneurs.

Source: This Moment On Earth, by John Kerry, p.198 Jan 1, 2007

John Kerry: $3B in tax credits to spur hybrid vehicle development

Flexible fuel vehicles can run on higher blends of ethanol, which helps displace petroleum. I propose that by 2020, 100% of our vehicles should be capable of running on flex fuels. Unless US automakers move faster to build hybrids, thousands of jobs could be lost. Producing fuel-efficient, advanced-technology vehicles will require automobiles and their suppliers to retool their factories. Hybrid vehicles rely on advanced equipment such as battery packs, electric motors and generators, and electronic power controllers--components that currently come from factories in Japan and Europe. Tax credits will help manufacturers make capital investments necessary to retool their factories, increase the cost-effectiveness of advanced technologies, and stimulate job growth in the production of cleaner, more efficient vehicles. We must provide a total of $3 billion over the next 5 years in consumer and manufacturer tax credits to spur these changes.
Source: This Moment On Earth, by John Kerry, p.208 Jan 1, 2007

  • The above quotations are from This Moment On Earth, by Teresa and John Kerry.
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Page last updated: Feb 18, 2019