Sustainability Mapping and Energy Policy

Abstract

A comprehensive sustainable energy policy established on a federal level cannot be achieved without the foundation of sustainability -- that is, a body of legislation that actively addresses enhancement and protection of the environment, enrichment of our communities, and transparency, profitability, and balance in the approach to economics. Toward the goal of such an energy policy, we can demonstrate that water conservation, including optimal use, is best served through the use of renewable energy sources. We can also demonstrate that sustainable practices applications are vital because of limited mineral resources and the necessity of specific metals in the manufacture of solar PVs and other renewable energy sector materials. This leads us to what we call ``sustainable mapping'' or the iteration of methods using sustainability metrics. These metrics are subsets of the three spheres of sustainability: environment, community, and economy. But developing a policy guided by science and founded on sustainable practices, we find that a comprehensive sustainable energy policy will strengthen the US's ability to more smoothly navigate the energy maze into a clean energy economy.