Energy Proposal

Governor Schwarzenegger:

My name is Miguel Aviles. I am a resident of the city of Hayward in the county of Alameda, sophomore at the National Hispanic University in San Jose pursuing a degree in the field of Math and Science, and author of two novels. I am writing to you for the purpose of developing an energy program that will address three of the more critical issues that are plaguing our Golden State. The three critical issues I plan to address are those of unemployment, obesity, and clean energy development. All of these issues are interrelated. For instance, obesity has been thrown from one end of the table to the next as an issue that needs to be solved, but honestly, has it? Researchers have been working day after day on the reasons behind obesity and so far they have determined that obesity is possibly related to an airborne virus similar to the common cold. However; convincing the public of that can be a little more difficult. Right now, it is still widely accepted that regular exercise and a healthy diet are major factors for maintaining a healthy weight. Not only does a healthier person work more efficiently, but there may be a significant drop in extraneous medical expenses resulting from a healthier person which will lead to lower medical costs, alleviating the state’s budget. We need a program that addresses this issue.

Unemployment is another major concern for California. With the number of unemployment cases rising and benefits nearing insolvency we need a program that will create jobs immediately. The more we rely on federal loans to fix our problems, the deeper, more rooted they will become. If unemployment rates continue to rise, we potentially face levels of crime paralleling those of the Great Depression. Humanity did not elevate itself to the level of complex civilization it is now by degrading to anarchistic levels, they adapted and employed reason, exhausting every idea until one was found that would propel them to greater heights. We find ourselves, once more, at that threshold, and we need to look not only into ourselves, but to those around us, be it the aristocracy, or the proletariat, for the solution that will propel humanity to new heights. I have a proposal that I believe will address the issues of unemployment and obesity indirectly by focusing on the acquisition of human power. Human power, while not as efficient as nuclear, water, wind, or coal, can be harnessed. Harvesting human power will not replace the other methods, but it will put a dent in what we use, while providing work, and addressing the issue of obesity. I propose that fitness centers be outfitted for the collection of electricity generated by pulley, treadmill, stationary bike, and spring generators. Outfitting all of California’s fitness centers with the proper equipment will create jobs, jobs that California desperately needs. Where California submarginally expends over 1 million dollars a day maintaining unemployment, it could do with investing in job creation efforts, reducing the number of people filing claims, lifting the deficit and possibly leading to a more balanced budget.