The future used to hold so much promise. Flying cars. Atomic robots. Space travel to distant galaxies. These days though, the future still holds promise, but many problems too, like the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico that will affect the environment for decades even after it is eventually capped. Just the tip of the iceberg, really. And while 15 years may not seem that far away… think about how much different the world is today than is was in 1995.
President Obama is looking ahead though. Whatever your opinion of the guy, he is undeniably trying to shape the country not just for today, but for the future. After securing a 35 mpg standard for cars by 2016, Obama is pushing for even higher standards through 2025.
It doesn’t look like I’ll get flying cars or atomic robots anytime soon, but the 35 mpg standard is an important first step towards getting more fuel efficient cars and new technologies on the road. Some have criticized the 35 mpg standard as not high enough, or with too many loopholes and tax credits. Yet if we didn’t give automakers sufficient time to create and test new technologies, like plug-in hybrids and hydrogen vehicles, we might end up with a bunch of half-baked solutions that would be nothing but headaches.