It's time to try shifting to hydrogen-run cars

Oregon Live
JASON MIDDLETON
June 15, 2006

Since I have been getting closer and closer to driving, I've really wanted a Chevelle Super Sport. You'd think my mom's first concerns would be insurance or safety, but much to my surprise it was neither. She said I would never be able to afford the gas.

So when we were studying about energy resources in science recently, I was really intrigued. I noticed there are actually quite a few resources that we have overlooked, the biggest being hydrogen. That's right -- the Chevelle Super Sport Hydrogen.

This area is just perfect for hydrogen-fueled cars. Hydrogen is the key to stopping our dependence on foreign countries and will change the automotive industry.

This is how it would work. We take water from the rivers that have been dammed and use the power from the dams to convert the water into hydrogen. We would find a struggling automotive company that is eager to catch up with everyone else. Making the first hydrogen car will give it a huge advantage over the other car companies.

It will be a long and risky process, but the rewards will be huge. Hydrogen will stop our dependence on foreign countries, save the world from global warming and drastically lower the price of transportation.

Some will ask how are we going to make up for the electrical energy lost that once came from the dams, but I have a solution for that. We could take advantage of the geothermal energy that we are surrounded by. It is said that there is enough geothermal electricity in the Northwest to power more than 1.3 million homes. Surely, that would be enough to make up for that lost energy.

Now on top of all of this, these energy sources are all renewable and won't hurt the environment. Just think of how much cleaner our environment would be if cars simply produced water vapor.

Not only would hydrogen stop our dependence on foreign countries and clean up the environment, but it would also cut transportation prices immensely. I'll be 16 in 2007; will there be that Chevelle Super Sport Hydrogen or will I be left with the man-powered bike?

Jason Middleton is an eighth-grader at Waluga Junior High in Lake Oswego.