Resolved: That the US federal government should substantially increase alternative energy incentives in the United States.

Table of Contents:
1. Alternative Energy News Portals
2. Affirmative Plan Ideas and Evidence
3. Negative Briefs and Evidence
4. Questions to be Answered
5. News Stories with Links
6. Classroom Activities

This wiki page is going to be used by both Affirmatives and Negatives to prepare positions for the 2008-2009 season. I'd like to gather as much evidence here as possibe, including completed affirmative plans and full negative briefs before the start of the school year in September. Use this page well. Make it your friend. Everyone will benefit from our collaboration.

The following information should be organized. Below, I would like to create a list of possible affirmative plans and negative evidence. Use this one page for now. We can branch off into other pages in a bit. As some of you know, I'd like to convene a meeting of debaters at some point in the summer at the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth library. We can accomplish a lot there as well (which can be added to the wiki).

ALTERNATIVE ENERGY NEWS PORTALS [Please add more here.]

1. http://www.alternative-energy-news.info/ and http://www.alternative-energy-news.info/headlines/ have current news articles as well as headlines. They seem to be very up to date and informative.

2. http://www.altenews.com/ offers news about renewable and alternative energy. They also have a section called 'Today's News', which should come in handy. This one should be checked regularly.

3. http://www.topix.com/tech/alt-energy has current news as well, but also has a section for alternative energy discussion forums and polls.

4. http://alt-e.blogspot.com/ is a blog concerning alternative energy. This site is obviously biased, but it does contain lots of information and seems to be updated every couple of weeks. It has archives back to 2004.

AFFIRMATIVE PLAN IDEAS & EVIDENCE

1. Both affirmative and negatives should read this breakdown on the alternative energy resolution by the NFHS: http://www.nfhs.org/Core/ContentManager/uploads/PDFs/SDTA/Energy.pdf. Here are some of the resolution possibilities they suggest: a) The United States federal government should substantially increase the energy independence of the United States. b) The United States federal government should significantly increase the use of alternative energy resources in the United States. c) The United States federal government should substantially decrease the use of fossil fuels in the United States. d) The United States federal government should significantly decrease its importation of foreign energy resources. e) The United States federal government should significantly increase the use of clean technology for energy in the United States. f) The United States federal government should significantly decrease carbon emissions in the United States.

2. Bacteria Could Be the Source of an Unlimited Supply of Power. The smallest creatures on the planet may help solve one of the world's biggest problems, according to a new report from a distinguished panel of scientists. Microorganisms, better known as bacteria, could be used to convert various materials into fuel to run our cars, heat to warm our homes, and even electricity to power our toys. http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/DyeHard/Story?id=2691199&page=1

3. Move over Wind and Solar Energy, Cow dung is here to stay! This link is about using cow dung to produce electricity. http://www.ecofriend.org/entry/mooove-over-wind-and-solar-energy-cows-poop-is-here-to-stay/

4. In this article, The New Math of Alternative Energy [from the Wall Street Journal, as relayed on YaleGlobal], the author discusses how the falling costs of four alternative energy resources could be advantageous for the world. Here's the link: http://yaleglobal.yale.edu/display.article?id=8813

NEGATIVE BRIEFS & EVIDENCE

1. This link shows all the tax rebates the government offers if you install new energy efficent appliances or get hybrid cars. http://www.doe.gov/taxbreaks.htm. I believe the negatives can argue that there is no need to increase tax rebates because so much is already being done. This link shows the tax rebates offered by states. http://www.dsireusa.org/.

2. Secretary Bodman participated in the Group of Eight (G8), China, India and Korea Energy Ministerial meeting in Aomori, Japan. The leaders discussed ways to enhance global energy security, while simultaneously combating global climate change. http://www.doe.gov/news/6319.htm

3. From Debate-Central.com - cross examination questions for negatives to ask affirmatives... Many of these questions are basic to the experienced debater, but I thought I would include the list here. The website is http://www.debate-central.org/research/cx-questions-to-ask-affirmatives

Is the plan topical?
Does the plan call for a substantial increase in incentives?
Does the plan call for incentives as opposed to a mandate?
Is the plan costly?
Could the 50 states implement the plan?
Does the plan conflict with any current state policies?
Will the plan work?
Does the plan decrease energy reliability?
Would the plan cause political turmoil in the United States?
Does the plan lead to an increase in alternative energy use?
Is the plan cost-effective?
Why is increasing alternative energy a better way to achieve energy independence than drilling for more oil in the United States?
Who will be held accountable for implementing the affirmative plan?
What are the economic benefits and consequences of your plan?
Does your plan implement a new program or support an existing one?

4. The Dallas Morning News put out an article taking a clear position against new nuclear facilities, stating that they are risky, costly and unnecessary. The article is here: http://www.commondreams.org/archive/2008/02/26/7308/

5. Negatives may face plans that offer radical new solutions (either in science or technology) to the energy crisis around the world. They may propose that a new method of gathering, delivering or storing energy is going to be an incentive that the federal government provides. This website has the reader ask nine critical questions about new forms of alternative energy. Given, the author of this article has a bias. They state, "After answering all nine questions, you will see - from a scientific place, rather than an emotional one - that there is no effective replacement for what hydrocarbon energy provides today." Hm. Well, let's see what the questions are. Here's the link: http://www.fromthewilderness.com/free/ww3/052703_9_questions.html

6. Biofuels have caused world food prices to jump 75%. This could be a strong disadvantage claim for negative. Here's the story as released by the World Bank: http://web.worldbank.org/WBSITE/EXTERNAL/NEWS/0,,contentMDK:21828803~pagePK:34370~piPK:34424~theSitePK:4607,00.html, and the news article about the report is here: http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20080704/pl_afp/climateenvironmentbiofuelsworldbankusbritain;_ylt=AsGJUjYwn7ZWhEvDVDliyjas0NUE

QUESTIONS TO BE ANSWERED

[Add your answers here, with evidence of course]

1. Which forms of alternative energy are most costly?
2. What are the percentages of alternative energy produced and used in the US?
3. What are the specific costs associated with each form of alternative energy?
4. What possible inherent barriers are there to increasing alternative energy incentives?
5. What type of alternative energy incentives already exist and how much do they cost?
6. Does the government really make more in taxes from the sale of a gallon of gasoline than the oil companies do? [Answer from factcheck.org]
7. Why does diesel fuel cost more than gasoline? [Answer from factcheck.org]

NEWS STORIES WITH LINKS

1. Moussa found an interesting CNN article about how Australia is pumping carbon dioxide underground to reduce greenhouse gasses. http://uk.reuters.com/article/environmentNews/idUKSYD8666920080402.

2. Moussa also found an article about black carbon pollution (good for affirmative's need for change) here: http://www.gsfc.nasa.gov/topstory/20020822blackcarbon.html and http://scitech.blogs.cnn.com/2008/04/14/getting-dirty-with-black-carbon/.

3. I thought that this would be an excellent resource concerning climate change. Its a bit long but incredibly informative for affirmatives. There are also some great ideas inside for plans. It's from the United Nations Human Development Program http://hdr.undp.org/en/media/hdr_20072008_en_complete.pdf.

4. Barack Obama today announced that he intends to spend $150 billion on alternative energy over a 10 year period. http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/06/16/candidates.economy/index.html

5. The Standard Times today reported about the successes of the local landfill, which converts methane gas into electricity (enough to power 3000 homes). They mention that this is one of the most progressive landfills in the country. http://southcoasttoday.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080616/NEWS/806160348

6. I'm not sure if we need a separate section for 2008 election issues concerning alternative energy, but this article is actually a correspondence from the Democratic National Committee about McCain's 'bad' alternative energy record. Since we will have the election done with and over before the first debate in December 2008, we should take a good hard look at both Obama and McCain. Here's the article: http://news.yahoo.com/s/usnw/20080617/pl_usnw/mccain_renewable_energy_record__endlessly_bad__says_democratic_national_committee

7. You can also find McCain's stand on alternative energy here: http://www.alternativeenergyhq.com/alternative-energy/john-mccain-energy-policy-for-2008-election and Obama's stand here: http://www.alternativeenergyhq.com/alternative-energy/barack-obama-energy-policy-for-2008-election. Both include some video on speeches and campaign commercials.

8. McCain called today for building 45 new nuclear reactors. You can read the article here: http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=D91CMT0O0&show_article=1. To my knowledge, there have not been any new reactors built in the United States since the incident at Three Mile Island in 1979. Links on the meltdown can be found here: http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/doc-collections/fact-sheets/3mile-isle.html and http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/three/.

9. Wonder why oil prices are so high? Check out these articles to get different perspectives: http://www.globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=viewArticle&code=20080612&articleId=9300, http://www.laprensa-sandiego.org/current/Oil.Prices.062008.htm, http://deseretnews.com/dn/view/0,5143,700235594,00.html, http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080621/ap_on_re_mi_ea/saudi_oil_summit;_ylt=AgmQNVgKIMOeLH16Gi2OY_6s0NUE,
http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/2008/06/19/stories/2008061950350800.htm.

10. Negatives may be interested in looking at the problems associated with biofuel. According to the BBC today, biofuel is responsible for increasing poverty around the world:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/7472532.stm

11. Kudzu vines, which naturally grow in the American Southeast, could be used to add to the amount of bioethanol on the market without some of the harms that come with corn ethanol like food shortages. http://www.ajc.com/news/content/news/stories/2008/06/19/KUDZU_biofuel_ethanol.html

12. Cars exist on this planet in larger numbers than some animals. All of them (within limits of statistical probability) run on oil. Here's a brief news account of a newly developed battery for electric cars. There's also a YouTube video explaining and introducing it. Negatives should also take a look at the last sentence by the MIT professors. http://www.alternative-energy-news.info/cityzenn-dream-electric-car/

13. The US has blocked efforts for solar power projects on public land. While this article seems to lean affirmative (justifying the need for change), you might want to take a look at some of the work already being done in the US both in the public and private sector to help negatives. http://earth2tech.com/2008/06/27/us-suspends-new-solar-projects-on-public-land-reactions-mixed/

14. Factcheck.org has put out recently an article proving that a McCain web advertisement on Obama's positions on energy is very distorted. Here's the article: http://www.factcheck.org/elections-2008/distorting_obama.html

15. The official election pages of Obama and McCain have their energy positions outlined. Even though debate precludes the power of fiat, these positions are important because affirmatives may wish to vet their plans here to see that nothing they are proposing has been done before and negatives should examine current and future government policies. Obama's page is here: http://my.barackobama.com/page/content/newenergy and McCain's page is here: http://www.johnmccain.com//Informing/Issues/17671aa4-2fe8-4008-859f-0ef1468e96f4.htm.

16. The G8 is an organization of the eight most economically powerful countries in the world. They meet periodically and shape collaborative policies (or try to - or sometimes try not to). They are currently meeting in July and here's what they have to say about global emisions: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080708/ap_on_re_as/g8_climate_change;_ylt=At1KODFinsBpxlERylVLgYys0NUE

17. Picken's Plan: This dude who was in the oil industry wants to spend over $1 trillion over a 10 year period to increase wind energy. He has a nice idea but it doesnt seem like its going to work because wind tubrines are very unreliable.
http://www.pickensplan.com/theplan/
CLASSROOM ACTIVITIES

1. The Dirksen Center sent me an email. At first, I wasn't sure whether I was going to spam it or not, but I found an interesting link in it that I wanted to share with you. It was a lesson plan for 'The Great Energy Debate' in Congress. Here's the link: http://www.nationalgeographic.com/xpeditions/lessons/16/g912/energydebate.html. Tell me what you think: mre@engineofsouls.com, or you can post your replies on our discussion forum here (follow the link at the top of the page on the wiki, or our separate forum on my homepage: www.engineofsouls.com.

2. This lesson plan was prepared by the PBS Online Newshour and focuses on exploring alternative energy resources in the United States. It is a three day (50 minute period) lesson and has extension activities: Here's the linik: http://www.pbs.org/newshour/extra/teachers/lessonplans/science/alternative_energy.html

3. This is another lesson that helps students familiarize themselves with the details, applications and consequences of alternative energy in the United States. It provides research links within the lesson site itself. Here's the link: http://www.sciencenetlinks.com/lessons.cfm?DocID=26