China’s Quiet Takeover of Rare Earth Minerals
Tungsten, rhenium, lanthanum, neodymium, tantalum, niobium. Names we probably forgot long ago from our high school science classes, but more essential to the future than anyone would ever have imagined, as all of these rare earth elements are fundamental components in the world's emerging, renewable energy technologies.
Wind, solar, the batteries in electric vehicles... all of these technologies require huge quantities of these minerals and the frightening fact is, supplies are dwindling.
While the legislature in the U.S. can't unite in efforts to repeal the huge tax breaks that the insanely profitable oil companies enjoy, China has been gradually
surveying the planet for the final remaining supplies of these minerals, quietly securing their supply for the renewable energy future that the (inappropriately named) communist nation hopes to dominate.
As the U.S. loses it's position as the world's epicenter for green energy technologies, it's citizens may question what actions they can take to reverse the trend. Aside from ceaselessly hounding their representatives and investing in U.S.-based firms, one thing is certain -- U.S. consumers must take matters into their own hands.
Rather than wait around for free solar panels from the government, U.S. citizens need to be spurned to quick action.
Luckily, there's a long list of ways to implement solar technology around one's home, either through building basic solar water heaters, using solar garden lamps or installing solar driveway lights. U.S. consumers can seize control with the power of their purse, taking action in the marketplace instead of hoping Washington will wake up.
The race to a green energy future hasn't been won yet and while China appears to be slowly seizing control of the planet's supplies of rare earth materials, Americans can be encouraged by remembering that their ability to marshal support of collective goals has been hugely successful in the past and can save them again in the future.
