In the movie “Rounders” directed by John Dahl, the main character Mike McDermott (played by Matt Damon) is a reformed gambler who returns to playing big stakes poker. In one scene, McDermott says, “You can’t lose what you don’t put in the middle. But you can’t win much either.”
That is where the opportunity lies for Highlands Ranch regarding its energy independence. If we don’t put something in the middle of the energy table, we’ll never get ahead. Fifteen months ago, when we all started paying $3.00 at the gas pump, I wondered, “What will gas prices be in the year 2010 or 2015?”
Or a year ago when we all paid our December utility bills that nearly equaled a monthly new car payment, I wondered; “What next? Will my utility bill equal half of my monthly mortgage payment five years from now?”
In the spring of 2006, I decided to take some control from other enterprises that dictate how much I have to spend for my energy needs. At our house, we upgraded our “builder’s model” 65% efficient furnace to a 93% high efficiency furnace. We also upgraded our a/c unit to 19.5 SEER’s that basically almost doubled our a/c efficiency.
And four months ago, we purchased a Ford Escape Hybrid so we could drive around Highlands Ranch on a battery. While our energy operating costs have declined, our house is still dependent on Xcel Energy to supply our natural gas and electricity and we still need to propel ourselves around Denver using gasoline, but it’s a small step in the direction of “energy empowerment.”
I’m sure some of us have asked ourselves recently, “Will gas shoot up to $6-7 a gallon? Will electricity always be a low cost energy source? Will these energy resources be plentiful when our next generation of residents grow up and become the future homeowners and entrepreneurs in Highlands Ranch?
To begin the journey for energy empowerment, in June, 2006 I asked ThunderRidge high school and Douglas County school administrators to seek out the best and brightest high school seniors to develop a “Future City of Highlands Ranch Energy Independence” business plan. They supported the idea 110%.
During the 2006-07 school year, five TRHS seniors took on this research challenge and seven months later, they have raised awareness around the world that Highlands Ranch is going to someday form an energy-focused governmental entity to reduce our dependence on 3rd party energy sources. Their legacy energy independence research has carried over to the 2007-08 senior class for continual business plan research.
Highlands Ranch has the unique, once in a lifetime opportunity to form a local government entity whose sole charter is to find ways to empower every resident and business owner to become energy independent.
Highlands Ranch has the opportunity to attract and retain alternative fuel and renewable energy businesses that will create new jobs and strong economic commerce within the energy city. Highlands Ranch has the opportunity to become the first municipal government in the world to focus on energy reduction policies and processes and at the same time, become a profit-generating enterprise.
Which brings me back to the movie “Rounders” when Matt Damon says, “You can’t lose what you don’t put in the middle. But you can’t win much either.” By putting nothing in the middle of the energy table virtually ensures that Highlands Ranch will remain dependent on 3rd party energy sources for a long, long time.
If we put “something in the middle” today, Highlands Ranch tells the rest of the United States that we are taking control of our energy needs and someday, we will reach the promised goal of liberating ourselves from 3rd party energy sources.
Energy companies put their money in the middle of the table and always manage to take home the winning pot on every hand while we keep on paying the “house rake.”
The time is now for us to put something into the middle of the energy table.
Steve Taraborelli is a Highlands Ranch resident working with ThunderRidge high school seniors, parent and teacher volunteers and local and national corporations to develop the “Future City of Highlands Ranch” business plan. Steve can be reached at: nevets140@hotmail.com and
