U.S. Gov. Should Step Up

Just about every American knows that our environment including the air we breathe, the trees we see, the resources we consume, and the ozone that we're oblvious to are suffering because of our our "needyness". There's been controversial talk of global warming in which evidence is beginning to emerge all across the globe, yet many are still not being "rubbed the wrong way". I believe this is the effect of many factors: the instability of the economy, the increased laziness of Americans, and the lack of knowledge to many.
Our roller coaster ride of an economy has caused many to be out of a job,which in turn has caused more people at home and using the computer as well as constant kilowatt usage to search for jobs online. Others are on the roads, driving to and from interviews; using a precious commodity that not only fuels cars but wars as well. According to the World Development Indicators Database, in 2007 Americans used a total of 3,892,000,000,000 killowatt hours of electricity in just one year; the highest amount compared to 210 other countries. On March 29, 2008, in an effort to conserve energy, Lights Out America invited the nation to participate in turning off all non-essential lighting for just one hour. In just this one hour, 15 percent of the average Saturday night electricity usage was saved. This savings not only helped in our pocket books but in the city's pocketbook as well, and managed to allow our environment some rest, by reducing the carbon emissions into our broadly shared air.
According to the Proceeding of the World Geothermic Congress, our nation is leading in the consumption of natural gas with 652,900,000,000 cubic meters used in one year and 8.35 Tonnes per person. And although it is well known that eventually, no matter if it be in 10 years, 100 years, or a thousand, this resource WILL run out. This doesn't necessarily mean that this particular generation will have to reap the consequences, but our grandchildren or perhaps children will. And most likely, the expiration date on the world's oil is sooner rather than later. Many of our leaders' naivety allows them to believe that somehow, by somesort of miracle, we will have come up with a solution just in time, whether it be life on Mars or life in sealed suits that protect us from the dangers of an exposed Ozone.
If the government focussed less on protecting the nation from illegal immigrants or on "Pork projects" and more on finding a way to prolong our stay here, so we can find that solution, we would be in good hands. I think that the government should completely take control, no matter how much money it takes. If one day of every month, the world just stopped, we would prolong the time we have to come up with a legitimate solution. On this day, every business shut down; no one had to be at work. Cutting of traffic lights, shutting down highways, making it impossible to commute anywhere. Could we survive? Think of it as a vacation. Watching reruns on TV, eating the groceries we bought before hand, spending time with our families? Would'n't it be benefial in many aspects of life? I think the only thing that's stopping us is the corporate world that is so greedy for every penny. They would think, if no one shopped, if no one drove, if no one ate out on this one day every month, for 12 months, every year, they would lose a lot of money. And that is more important to them, then their earth, their very existence, or the existence of their future offspring. It all comes down to the literally ALMIGHTY DOLLAR. Unless the government finds some way to integrate the happiness of the corporate world with the necessity of protecting their planet, we all will face a certain self-inflicted doom.