Oil and Gas Leave Countries Vulnerable

Dear Editor,

The devastating war in Ukraine is exposing a hidden facet of our modern lives that we mostly take for granted: power. Specifically, how do we power our homes, businesses, transportation? If you're like most places in the industrialized world, the answer is fossil fuels - gas and oil. Since the beginning of Russia's invasion, over 400 attacks have been directed towards crippling the infrastructure of Naftogaz, Ukraine's national oil and gas company.

The result of these attacks is personal suffering; brutally cold winters made colder without heat, malnutrition made worse without cooking fuel. The result is also seen on a more macro scale - more needs for gas and oil imports to the country. This exposes Ukraine to manipulation by the petrostates of the world, of which the USA is a shining example - and our current president is more than willing to take that leverage.

But there is a better way: renewable energy. Power can be generated and used on-site, without need for refining and shipping; power can be generated cheaper (solar is well recognized as the cheapest form of power generation by the IEA); and most importantly, once the infrastructure is in place, you are insulating yourself from the perverse economic blackmail and price fluctuations of oil and gas.

The environmental and economic benefits of renewables are obvious; it's time to leave oil and gas in the past.

Sincerely,

Nathan Dombeck, Janesville, WI