The Big Ideas Project

Submitted by Steve in Infrastructure & Technology Dec. 10, 2014, 4:34 p.m.

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#983

163 votes

Employ current service members and veterans in repairing/replacing/creating infrastructure. The military has been doing this for the past 12 years in Iraq and Afghanistan. This would: employ them, prevent large construction corporations from cheating the government, and would fix our crumbling infrastructure.

Submitted by sharyn in Infrastructure & Technology Jan. 5, 2015, 3:59 p.m.

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#988

162 votes

Electricity generation by using LFTR (liquid fluoride thorium reactors) - safe and cheap. No danger of meltdown, no leftover spent radioactive fuel, cheap to build and maintain, extremely cheap and plentiful and easily available fuel. This will provide very affordable, almost free, electricity across the country.

Submitted by A P. from NY in Infrastructure & Technology Nov. 17, 2014, 9:21 a.m.

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#1025

154 votes

Solar and WIND to help those who are hardest hit by high Home Energy Bills. Congress should approve the Department of Energy to provide 0% Loans to Home Owners 50 and older making 60,000 or less a year to install Solar, Wind and Natural Gas High Efficiency systems along with other Technology to make homes as Energy GREEN and Insulated as possible. Hurricane WV, got a grant for solar panels to reduce Sewage Treatment Costs, Why Cant I or YOU?

Submitted by MDSWVGUY25526 in Infrastructure & Technology Dec. 11, 2014, 3:04 a.m.

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#1069

146 votes

Battery technology could change the world. The efficient capture and storage of solar or wind energy could change the course of history. With inexpensive electricity, people who live in rural areas without electric could have clean water, sanitation, economic development, proper educational tools, etc. And with that there would avenues away from poverty and disease. People who live in cities would need less fossil fuels.

Submitted by WA in Infrastructure & Technology Jan. 14, 2015, 10:36 p.m.

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#1081

144 votes

Re-nationalize the Post Office. We do not need more banking or finance counseling/sales systems. There are already too many banks and stock hustlers in America and all the ATMs we need. Email has taken over much of our correspondence, but what must be mailed should be done by the government.

Submitted by Jack Siler in Infrastructure & Technology Jan. 4, 2015, 5:55 p.m.

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#1114

137 votes

Congress & President BarakObama should by Executive Order Restore full funding to AMTRAK and Restore Daily service from states like #WV, #KY and other slashed in the 80's. Air Prices are Unaffordable. Bring back Train Service for EVERY American! Save Gas & on Polution!

Submitted by MDSWVGUY25526 in Infrastructure & Technology Dec. 10, 2014, 10:42 p.m.

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#1134

134 votes

High speed electric monorail: Because we don't need additional right we can run this over the existing freeways and power it using solar energy produced on those same right of way lands. It could also be used as a massive transmission grid for electricity to market solar and windfarm electric that is produced along those routes by rooftop solar or wind and solar farms. Additionally it could be used as a massive Internet backbone allowing the devolopment of many small business ISPs

Submitted by Burning World Publications in Infrastructure & Technology Dec. 10, 2014, 4:52 p.m.

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#1148

132 votes

Install solar PV arrays on the Interstate medians ways, first in several pilot programs, then over 5-10 years connect them nationally. Such a project would create many jobs in numerous sectors of the economy (engineering, manufacturing, construction, etc.) while improving our crumbling infrastructure and also creating conditions that put negative economic pressure on fossil fueled energy producers to rethink their business model. This would lead to an American Renaissance of a booming economy.

Submitted by Kevin D. from VT in Infrastructure & Technology Dec. 18, 2014, 8:39 a.m.

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#1163

130 votes

A cell phone app and web page geared toward full government (local and federal) transparency and accountability. Citizens can host a public opinion poll on every bill going through all levels of govt and politicians can be held against these discrepancies of public opinion by watch dog journalism.

Submitted by Daniel A. from NY in Infrastructure & Technology Nov. 11, 2014, 10:27 p.m.

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#1197

125 votes

Regulate Telecom. They are wholly un-prepared to deal with anything. The CFO's keep cutting jobs for all the major carriers and service, especially in what I have to deal with on a weekly basis is unacceptable. They should be forced to staff their organizations properly so service is restored in a timely manner. Take a look at the fines that they absorb every year and they could hire hundreds of employees and actually supply their technical staff with proper test equipment and vehicles.

Submitted by Joseph B. from CT in Infrastructure & Technology Nov. 17, 2014, 8:12 a.m.

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#1216

122 votes

spend more money on clean energy and battery r&d

Submitted by Daws A. from WA in Infrastructure & Technology Dec. 27, 2014, 1:39 a.m.

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#1216

122 votes

I LOVE the concept of high speed rail but companies won't do it and people won't ride it until we rework the laws about freight rail having the right of way. That MUST change!! In Denver, the Light Rail lines are consistently over-subscribed because people WANT to ride, not drive. America should pay attention to that.

Submitted by Sarah Melcher in Infrastructure & Technology Jan. 4, 2015, 5:26 p.m.

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#1228

120 votes

Transportation justice - People have trouble getting and maintaining jobs in Southeast Michigan (and elsewhere!) because they lack reliable, consistent transportation options.

Submitted by Meredith Begin in Infrastructure & Technology Nov. 26, 2014, 12:39 p.m.

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#1228

120 votes

Develop sustainable fresh water sources! There is a drought choking the west and cracking is poisoning water here in the east. Wage a war on thirst.

Submitted by Scott K. from OH in Infrastructure & Technology Jan. 4, 2015, 5:34 p.m.

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#1239

119 votes

Our tax dollars are already being used to create a nationwide, wireless broadband public safety network. Why are we limiting this effort to public safety? The infrastructure and distribution channels will already be implemented with this effort. Open it to the public that is paying for it!

Submitted by Kay M in Infrastructure & Technology Dec. 10, 2014, 7:32 p.m.

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#1257

117 votes

The Stimulus Bill included money to “Green” 75% of federal government buildings Close corporate tax loopholes and pay for the “Greening” of other 25%.

Submitted by Don B. from CA in Infrastructure & Technology Dec. 19, 2014, 4:14 a.m.

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#1277

113 votes

Merged Idea

Set a goal so that within 20 years 40% of the West Coast's drinking water will come from the ocean.

Submitted by 20 in 20 in Infrastructure & Technology Dec. 10, 2014, 4:25 p.m. 1

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#1293

111 votes

Reclaim the public airwaves from the media conglomerates. Net Neutrality, Fair and Free elections, the Free market, and Freedom of speech depend on the removal of finance from mass communication. Equal time combined with a grass roots filtering process will allow Ideas, Products, and People to stand on their own merits, rather then their ability to dump millions into advertising.

Submitted by FirF in Infrastructure & Technology Dec. 11, 2014, 10:13 p.m.

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#1293

111 votes

Virtually all science-that is provable fact- points to human influenced climate change. The effects are unequally born by the least advantaged while the benefits accrue to the best off. We would not allow this in our tax system. Public health must become the standard upon which to base economic decisions. Economic health will follow if we truly have an innovative system. Unhealthy activities (hydraulic fracking) shouldn't be allowed unless proven safe by an unbiased, fully funded EPA

Submitted by DJ in Infrastructure & Technology Jan. 10, 2015, 8:22 p.m.

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#1308

109 votes

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