“Old King Petrol had been a merry old soul, and a merry old soul he’d been.  He’d called for his pipe(line) and he’d called for his tank(ers) when he’d called the shots way back when.”

            Dateline: March 11, 2026 – King Petrol sat glued to his TV screen delighted with this stroke of good fortune.  The Strait of Hormuz had been shut down.  Petrol’s thoughts drifted back to that glorious time in October 1973 when OPEC declared an oil embargo.  The whole world was thrown into chaos and clamored for more of HIM.  King Petrol had made the great world powers dance to his tune.

            Now, he could almost taste that power coming his way once again. Analysts predicted the price of oil would spiral out of control.  Guesstimates ranged from $150 to as high as $250 / barrel!  A global food crisis was threatening.  “Oh boy!” King Petrol gloated. “Soon I’ll once again be the puppet master controlling the strings of power.

            But by mid-July it became clear that a repeat of the ’73 embargo was not to be.  Aside from a price spike for a couple months, the cost of oil this July runs just a bit higher than it did the day the strait was first closed in early March. “What’s happening to my empire?” the king sobbed as he summoned his top consultants.

            “Sorry Boss,” Ed Visor ventured, “but you’re not such a big shot any more.  Renewables are eating you for lunch.  Take electrical generation for example; 47% in the EU and 26% in the US comes from renewables.  Solar has already overtaken coal generation in the US.  And frankly, folks are getting fed up with the damaging effects of your greenhouse gas emissions.  Extreme heat, severe weather events and worsening air quality aren’t winning you any fans.”

            That evening King Petrol admitted to himself that it was time to retire. “My glory days are over.  I’d like folks to remember me for helping grow prosperity, not as a polluting climate-change driver.  Every American can help speed my retirement by reducing their use of fossil fuels, expanding home and business solar generation, and by adding insulation to conserve energy.  And the sooner the better because this is the only home we’ll ever know.  It’s where we’re all forever… Earthbound.”
(Data courtesy of Matthew Lynn – Washington Post)

       Ben Roastin dragged his feet along the scorching sidewalk; droplets of perspiration lined his brow.  Shielding his eyes from the noonday sun, he glanced up. The marquee proclaimed “Stay Cool Bro! Emporium”.  Ben stepped inside to a curious collection of kiosks and displays.

       “Welcome!” Les Coollawph greeted. “How can we help?”  Like most folks who visit the emporium, Ben explained that he struggles to keep his home cool in the summer.  With rising electricity costs, he’s reluctant to run the AC.  “You’ve come to the right place,” Les smiled as he invited Ben to browse the floor.

       At the first booth Hugh Midity shook Ben’s hand saying, “It’s not the heat, it’s the… you got it, Pal.”  To reduce air-borne moisture, Hugh recommended running bathroom fans after showers and kitchen fans when boiling and steaming food. “Ya might consider getting a small de-humidifier; it’s more economical than running the AC,” Hugh advised.

       At the next display, Shady Downs was sipping iced tea.  Peering out from behind his Ray-Bans, Shady offered, “Pull your shades down, bro.  It’s all about keeping out the heat.  If you don’t let it in, ya don’t need to get it out.”

       Further on under the “Fan Club” banner, Wendy Aire waved wildly to get Ben’s attention.  After being sucked into her vortex of gestures and words, Ben escaped to move on.  But he did take with him a couple good tips.  First, fans don’t cool the air; they only cool the skin of those who feel their breeze.  Unless a fan is drawing in cool night air, don’t bother running it in unoccupied rooms.  Second, run ceiling fans counterclockwise in the summer so their breeze cools the folks below.

       A delicious aroma emanated from the rear of the emporium.  Will Feedya was fixing a variety of tasty-smelling treats.  Ben sampled several and was reminded that grilling outdoors will reduce heat build-up in the house and that waiting to use the oven until outdoor temps have moderated also helps.

       The final booth advertised FREE AC.  Ben approached and immediately locked eyes with the sensual Summer Breeze. “I’ll be coming to you this evening,” she whispered. “Leave your windows open for me.”
 
       “Limiting the use of expensive AC,” Ben thought, “now that’s cool and good for the planet too.  Because this is our only home where we’re all forever… Earthbound.”

        “OMG! Look at that smile!” Ima and Ken were sifting through an almost-forgotten shoe boxful of old photos . “That’s me the day I ditched the training wheels and peddled down the driveway on my own,”  Ima exclaimed.  “I was so happy!  Golly, I suffered a lot of scraped shins before that, but when I finally got the knack of it, a whole new world of possibilities opened to me. Once I was a rider, there was no goin’ back.” Ima Peddler smiled.

        Ken fished out another faded photo. “Wow, here’s Grandma Frieda Bea-Greener pointing at the solar thermal panels perched on her roof 30-some years ago.  Those panels did reduce her hot water bill, but the maintenance was a bit much so they eventually came down.  It was kinda like Uncle Will’s experiment with a small wind turbine on the farm.  A good try, but…
“Ha! Here’s a shot of Uncle Les showing off his new rooftop photo-voltaic (PV) solar system. That would have been around 2012 because that year the cost per watt for solar had dropped almost 50% from the previous year, so he jumped onto the ‘solar express’.
 
        “Ya know, in some ways, the clean energy revolution has been like learning to ride a bike.  A few ‘scraped knees’ early on, but now that PV is SO economical, there ain’t no goin’ back.  Just think, in 2011 the world price per solar watt was $2.00.  The very next year it dropped to $1.08.  By 2024 it was down to $0.26  - the least expensive source of energy on the planet!”

        Ima knew that Ken Bea-Greener could get a bit over-excited about clean energy stuff. (With a last name like his, who wouldn’t be?)  She’d read that currently there’s scant federal support for clean energy.  So being a bit skeptical, Ima did a little research of her own.  She learned:

• In 2025, renewables overtook coal in electricity generation.
• Solar costs less than half what analysts in 2015 predicted it would in 2025.
• Electric vehicle (EV) sales already make up a quarter of the world’s market (mostly China and Europe) – a threshold initially forecast for 2030.

 
        “By golly, Ken’s right!  With or without federal encouragement, a whole new world of clean energy is rapidly rolling ahead.  Thank goodness, because this is our only home.  We’re all forever… Earthbound.”

        Doctor A. Penny Earned glanced through her day’s appointment calendar.  “Oh my,” she thought, “another jam-packed day!  This pandemic is really taking a toll.” After a final gulp of coffee she knocked on the exam room door.

       Phil Err-Uppe had been sitting patiently, but when she came in he burst out.  “Ya gotta help me Doc.  I can’t keep living like this.”  Penny scanned Phil’s chart and reviewed his driving habits. “Yup, you’ve caught it too,” she said, “another case of Hormuz-itis.  You’ve gotta replace that gas guzzler of yours.  I want you to start looking into hybrids and EVs.  Meanwhile, no more needless idling or driving for short trips when walking or biking would suffice. And consider taking the train for cross-country jaunts.”
       
       Electra Bills waited in the adjacent room. “Every month it costs more!” she cried when Penny stepped in. “I just can’t keep up!”  “Hmm… Hormuz-itis is spreading fast,” the good doctor thought to herself.  She prescribed replacing all old lightbulbs with LEDs, bumping up the AC a few degrees and arranging for a free assessment from an area solar contractor.

          Fern S. Phuell was pacing in the examination room as Penny opened the door. “We barely made it through last winter,” she began. “I’m already worried about how we’ll cope come fall.”  Doc Earned patted Fern’s hand and gave her the Wisconsin Focus on Energy (FOE) website (https://focusonenergy.com/). “They’ve got a bunch of resources and rebates to help you insulate and weatherproof your home.  FOE can also advise you on servicing or replacing inefficient appliances.”

          That evening, Penny sent an email to all her patients.  “I’m so sorry that you’ve been bitten by this pandemic.  This year it happens to be Hormuz-itis, but honestly, there’s always going to be something pushing energy costs higher and draining your pocketbook.  Remember, efficiency is always the low-cost winner.  What’s that old saying? ‘A penny saved…’  Together, we CAN beat Hormuz-itis.  The International Energy Agency estimates energy efficiency measures could deliver two-thirds of the oil demand reduction and half of the natural gas demand reduction necessary to meet net zero energy sector emissions by 2050.

            “Why not save some cash, help reduce the bickering over energy sources and practice good stewardship at the same time? After all, this is the only home we’ll ever know.  It’s where we’re all forever… Earthbound.”

        Odysseus Blivious’s eyes popped open. “Saturday morning!” he crowed. “Got to get to work!”  O., as his friends called him – O. Blivious – wolfed down a few bites of breakfast and strode out to the green expanse that stretched beyond his porch.  His huge ½ acre lot was covered in Kentucky blue grass and fescue. “Work” for O. Blivious meant donning a set of headphones, tuning in the “oldies” station, perching on his gas rider mower, and methodically weaving back and forth over his grassy spread.

        O. was proud to be named after his mythical Greek hero, Odysseus. “It’s so cool how he outsmarted the ‘Sirens’ by plugging his crew members’ ears so they couldn’t be lulled into a tragic demise by the mesmerizing Sirens.  Boy, I’d never let myself be lulled to complacency and oblivion like some poor sap!” he thought while adjusting his headphones to get the
sound just right as he continued back and forth…back and forth.

        The top-of-the-hour newscast led with a story about the anticipated El Nino coming this year.  “It will likely amplify heatwaves, droughts and floods and increase the average 500,000 annual heat-related deaths globally,” she said.

        “Those poor souls,” O. muttered. “Oh well, nothin’ I can do about it,” he said while completing another loop.  The newscast concluded with a piece about lawn care pollution. “Studies find that running a gas-powered lawn mower produces eleven times more emissions than running the average new car for the same amount of time.  Additionally, lawn chemicals and pumping water used for irrigation create additional greenhouse gas emissions.”  O. yawned and made another loop.

        With the grass freshly shorn, O. fixed himself a (well-deserved??) iced tea and was about to head for the hammock when his wife called out, “I’m off to the garden club expo.  Wanna come?  They’ve got a presentation on how to add native vegetation - clovers, shrubs, trees, and flowers - to your landscaping.  They say polyculture-landscaping creates a more bio-diverse and healthier environment.  There’s supposed to be a demonstration of those cool no-emissions electric lawn mowers too.”

        O. was about to roll his eyes and tell her he’d pass, but something made him pause.  “Yeah, I’ll go,” he called and thought, “After all, we DO need to protect this planet because it’s the only home we’ll ever know.  We’re all forever… Earthbound.”

       Deep inside a dank and sooty coal ash pit somewhere in the upper Midwest, Dusty Bin and Cole Ashe circled up with their polluting particulate pals.  “Yeah that’s right,” Cole sneered.  “We’re outta here! They’ve been keeping all of us bottled up in this stinkin’ pit.  But if we play our cards right,” Cole continued while eyeing his circle of filthy friends, “before long we’re all gonna be able to blow this popsicle stand! 

        “Ya see, me and Dusty have been keeping our heads down and our ears open.  We heard that the bureaucrats at the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) have been told by their bosses that they have to lighten up on rules and regulations.  Ya see; they won’t be paying any attention to us guys.  That’s when me and Dusty figure on bustin’ outta here.  And Maddog Mercury is coming with us!”

       “That’s right,” Dusty continued. “We’ll all be FREE!  I can’t wait to be blown through the air and leeched down into the ground water.  Some namby-pambies at the EPA cry, ‘What about the increased risks of cancers, heart and thyroid diseases, cognitive impairments, respiratory disorders, and prenatal mortality?’

        “What a bunch of crybabies!  I heard that some asthma kids actually like using inhalers. … Weird huh!  The important thing is we’ll finally be free.  So what if a bunch of people get sick?  It’s not like one day they’ll wake up wondering why they don’t feel so hot.  Then they test their water only to see that Maddog’s been swimming in it.  Well… maybe it actually is like that.  But who cares?  That’s the question.”

       Cole jumped back in.  “Yeah, that IS the question.  Does anybody care?  The regulations haven’t been changed yet, and some people are speaking up; they don’t want the rules loosened.  If enough folks write to the EPA before June 13th – https://tinyurl.com/46wvwxtz - the bureaucrats will wake up and realize that lowering pollution standards is a short-sighted highway to a sicker society and a dirtier environment.
 
        “Folks that do care don’t have to be experts to submit comments.  They can just tell about the terrible impact of 775 nationwide leaking coal ash pits on their health and the health of their community.  And why wouldn’t they speak up because this is the only home they’ll ever know.  It’s where we’re all forever… Earthbound.”

        The small-town high school sat brooding.  Costs for everything are continually rising, and there just isn’t enough money to serve her students as she should.  “Golly,” she lamented, “expenses keep going up.  Just look at this annual electricity bill; it’s over $200,000!  Loads of school districts across Wisconsin facing the same problem are adding solar to slash their electricity costs.  If only we could find some seed money to do that.”

        Little did the school know that at that very moment Tom, Dick and Mary had gathered to consider that very thing. “I bet there are lots of generous community members who would help fund a pilot /demo solar array,” Tom surmised. “Do you think we could raise $25,000?”  Everyone agreed to begin talking with their friends and local civic organizations.

        As they headed out the door, Dick commented, “If only there were grants that could help with this.” “Duh…” Mary chided, “Are you kidding? Wisconsin’s Focus on Energy program helps defer some of the cost to add solar.  And the federal government’s Inflation Reduction Act will allow us to cut 30% of the installation cost.”
 
       Later that week, Tom was visiting a prominent local businessman. “Donations are coming in nicely,” he commented. “Now, if only we could find some donated solar panels.” The businessman smiled.  “Let me show you something.” They drove to a near-by farm.  “These 30 panels are still under warranty, but I need them removed for a building renovation.  Would these help?”
           
        At the school board meeting that month, board members learned about the funds coming in and the solar panel donation. “Wow!” one member cheered.”  Now, if only we only had a teacher trained to lead the hands-on educational opportunities our students could experience with an array. “Well, guess what,” the superintendent winked. “Our environmental ed. teacher will be attending a 3-day training this summer.  She’ll bring back over $1,000 of free solar-teaching curricula and materials with her!”

       “Golly,” the high school smiled. “Almost $25,000 raised, grants to help cut costs, donated panels, a highly-trained teacher, and a supportive school board and administration.  That’s the kind of ‘solar soup’ I’m talking about!  With everyone contributing what they can we’ll be reducing both costs and pollution.  We’re helping create the livable future we all need here on our only home where we’re all forever… Earthbound.”

        Every soul on the planet liked Earth Day a lot.  But Mr. Wreckit who lived there too did NOT! He hated Earth Day, the whole Earth Day season.  Now, please don't ask why. No one quite knows the reason.

        "Next week it’s Earth Day! It's practically here!"  He growled, with his fingers nervously drumming,  "I MUST find some way to stop Earth Day from coming! “But HOW?"  Then he got an idea! An awful idea! IKE N. WRECKIT GOT A WONDERFUL, AWFUL IDEA!

        "I know just what to do!"  Ike laughed with a roar as he strode to a cabinet drawer.  “Aha! He shouted with glee.  Here are just the tools that I’ll need. He grabbed a crock of Short-Sightedness, another of Greed.  Some Willful Ignorance and Apathy – all to assist in his dastardly deed. “I’ll spread this mess around… nice and thick.  Then they’ll all forget about things that make the planet sick.”
 
        But on a hilltop nearby, Eartha Wise heard of Ike’s vile plot. “I’ll need helpers,” she mused, “not just a few, but a lot!”  Soon… Fairness, Caring, Selflessness, Wisdom and Eartha formed a brainstorming huddle.  “Now, do we need anyone else to get us out of this muddle?”

       “Hmm…” thought Wisdom, “Reciprocity could be the missing link.  What do you all think?  She brings balance; it’s  all about give and take.  Neglecting the giving part is a huge mistake.”

        Then Eartha’s team spread across the land alerting folks far and wide.  Urging, “NOW is the time to slow the ‘Wreckit Tide’”.  Soon folks from near and from far gathered on that Earth Day.  They couldn’t wait to hear what Eartha had to say.
 
        “But now,” Eartha said, “now that you're all here, it seems so perfectly clear. UNLESS someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better; it's not. “SO…catch!  Catch the seeds of a vibrant future.  Plant them with care.  Give them clean water and lots of fresh air. Grow a forest. Protect the flora and fauna that’s found. Then just maybe the natural world may once again RESOUND and shout. “Protect our beautiful home where we’re all … Earthbound.”
*Rhyming  - Courtesy of Dr. Suess

            It’s an odd couple if there ever was one.  How these two grey-headed codgers ended up sipping coffee together is anybody’s guess.  But here they sit paging through a photo album.
            “Look!  Here’s an 1867 daguerreotype of my great grandfather as a baby,” Ole Tymer grinned.  “See that lamp in the in the background?  Wouldn’t be surprised if it was a whale oil lamp.”  “Yep,” Pete Rolleum agreed. “My kerosene was just beginning to edge its way into the marketplace at that time.”
            “And here’s a shot of my grandmother’s one-room schoolhouse with her first class of students.  The caption says 1908,” Ole beamed.  “Well by golly, that’s the year Henry Ford introduced the Model T – a big year for me!” Pete boasted. “Because of his car my gasoline became the primary transportation fuel.  Bye-bye horses and buggies.”
            “Ha! That old Studebaker!” Ole smiled as he turned the page. “It’s my dad (age 30 or so) in front of his first car. Must have been 1950 or so.” “You know what’s funny?” Pete added. “It was just about that time that my fuels finally overtook coal as the #1 energy source for the world.  A lot of folks assume that I’ve been the dominate source of energy for ages.  But 1950 is just 76 years ago; that’s within your lifetime, Pal.”
            “Here’s a 2020 photo.  My son’s showing off his brand-new rooftop solar panels,” Ole pointed.”  “Those panels,” Pete grunted, “went up just when, for the most part, solar and wind overtook coal and all of my fuels as the least expensive forms of energy worldwide. 
            “Ah, my friend, in spite of all the propaganda my advocates are spreading, it’s time we face reality.  Your days and mine are numbered,” Pete conceded.  “Folks who profit from me are determined to delay the spread of renewable energy.  But it’s inevitable.  Sooner or later the advantages of inexhaustible, clean energy sources like wind and solar will be too profitable to ignore.  And then, you humans will no longer be compelled to bicker over petroleum shipping lanes and such.  It won't be long before burning things up to power homes and vehicles will seem old-fashioned.”
            “Yeah Pete, in the long view…you’re out.  Savvy folks are already jumping on the clean energy bandwagon and helping build a healthier future right here, where we’re all forever… Earthbound.”

            “Click” The telephoto lens found its target.  Rock Kin-Allnite’s Porsche 718 Cayman idles at a McDonalds drive-up. He appears to be twiddling his thumbs in there?!?  “Click” Starr Lett is caught preening in the mirror as her chauffer inches forward in the pick-up line at her daughter’s elementary school.  “Click” Movie mogul, Lemmy Smoochya, is spied playing “Angry Birds 4” on his phone somewhere in Greenwich Village.  Fumes waft from the tailpipes of his parked limo. 
            “Here you go Boss – this week’s ‘catch’,” Papa Razzi pointed as he slid a packet of glossies across the desk.  “These are great!” Ed Ittor smiled. “Thanks Boss, but I think we may have something more here than just another handful of glam shots.  Each pic shows these ‘influencer’ celebrities thoughtlessly idling their fancy sets of wheels. 
            “We could do a whole spread on idols idling,” Papa suggested. “Unlike these three, celebrities could be using their influence to set a good example.  Unfortunately, a lot of folks just don’t think about the wasteful damage needless idling causes.

• Health – Vehicle emissions linger near the ground where passers-by can inhale them.  This is especially damaging to children where pick-up lines at schools are often filled with idling vehicles.
• Wasted Fuel – It’s estimated that vehicles in the US waste about 6 billion gallons of fuel annually.  With fuel prices rising, why burn up one’s hard-earned dollars needlessly?
• Environmental Damage – Idling personal vehicles in the U.S. generates around 30 million tons of CO2 every year.  Addressing unnecessary idling would be like taking 5 million vehicles off the roads.

         “We could call the article ‘The 10 Second Rule.’ If you’re going to be sitting more than 10 seconds, you’ll save more fuel by turning off your vehicle and re-starting your engine than by letting it idle.”
         “Super!” Ed agreed. “Ten seconds to save money and reduce harms to our health and to the environment.  What’s not to like?  After all, this vibrant, pale blue planet is the only home we’ll ever know.  It’s where we’re all forever… Earthbound.”