When I just look at the data for the last 40 years, it looks as if the temperature will increase 2 to 4 degrees Fahrenheit, and we might possibly be better off than we are now. But am I sure that this trend will continue? No.

So with so much uncertainty, is there anything rational that we can do in the United States? Yes, there is – there’s a lot we can do.

First, every new energy plant we build should be nuclear, and we should invest in developing a good design using thorium as fuel. You’d be surprised at how much better a thorium nuclear power plant can be – and the current uranium ones are really good, so that says a lot.

Second, within 10 years or so, battery powered cars will be cost effective. If we move quickly with nuclear power, we can charge those batteries with electricity generated from thorium power plants. So no pollution there, either. And these cars will have many fewer moving parts and costs for them will go down.

Also, in 10 years, solar cells on roof tops should be cost-effective, and homes will be so well insulated that they will use very little energy.
There are many other things we can do, but they all have this in common – if done right, they will save us money. If we can just imitate France which gets over 75% of its electricity from nuclear power, we can have inexpensive, safe, and non-polluting energy.

The lesson of Haiti was that it wasn’t the earthquake that killed hundreds of thousands of innocent people, it was poverty. If we implement the suggestions I’ve given above, we will do more to decrease pollution than any carbon tax or any treaty will do, AND we’ll prosper at the same time.

We could even build, run and deal with the nuclear materials for nuclear power plants in other countries, helping them to prosper. It is prosperity that allows us the ability to build earthquake resistant home, and have catalytic converters in our cars, and clean water, and sanitation, etc.

So let’s have the least polluting environment possible, and prosper at the same time. Then, whether or not the Earth warms significantly, we’ll benefit.

But if we do nuclear power right (as France has done) we can start building nuclear plants the generate inexpensive electricity, are safe, and non-polluting. This will make everything else cheaper, and lead to properity for more people, and yet dramatically decrease our CO2 output.

It is a win-win solution, and right now President Obama is pushing for it.