Bush to Congress: Embrace energy exploration now

[dragonrider]

We need to move toward alternative energy sources as quickly as possible, and the government meeds to help make it happen, not just sit on their asses and say it's a great idea but too far away. We give huge subsidies to oil companies in the form of favorable leases and tax breaks --- billions of dollars to industries that already make billions of dollars. And those billions do not get us any closer to the day when we will be secure in our energy resources and reponsible to our environment. We need to devote cash money to developing alternative like solar, wind and geothermal for electricity. And we need alternative transportation fuels. There are several suitable renewable transportation fuels that would not need a major re-enginering of our infrastructure. Many of these technologies involve converting solid and liquid waste into fuel --- so once developed, it solves two problems simultaneously, turnring a source of polution into a source of energy. If even half the money we already use to subisdize the oil industry were devoted to developing these alternatives, maybe we'd find a way forward.

I'm not happy about gas prices or heating fuel prices. No one is. However, the one bright side is that as prices go up, people begin to do the things that we should be doing already for sustainability reasons. The cost makes people start looking for the alternatives. The cheap gas is just plain running out as demand around the world rises for a resource that is getting scarcer and scarcer. We knew this day would come, just not so suddenly. It's time to face reality, adjust, and begin to move aggressivley toward the future. Usually Americans are pretty good about facing a crisis once it actually happens, so hopefully we can do that this time without too much pain or too much delay.

[Psycho4Bud]

However, the one bright side is that as prices go up, people begin to do the things that we should be doing already for sustainability reasons. The cost makes people start looking for the alternatives.

Same thing we thought during the fuel crunch of the "70"s......how history repeats itself. We should have been in better shape!!

Have a good one!:s4:

[dragonrider]

Same thing we thought during the fuel crunch of the "70"s......how history repeats itself. We should have been in better shape!!

Have a good one!:s4:

I completely agree with that --- we should have moved toward alternative energy and sustainable domestic energy sources 30 or 40 years ago when the oil-producing countries showed they could hold our economy hostage. Now we are actually MORE dependent on foreign oil. What a lost opportunity. We have a lot of important reasons to move away from oil --- economic, geo-political, and environmental.

[rebgirl420]

Uh, everyone knew we we going to run out of oil some day. How come no one planned for this shit?

It seems like were all rushing now to save our asses.

[birdgirl73]

No one ever plans for stuff far enough in advance! We haven't done it with money and spending. Millions of Americans don't do it personally, like in the way of savings and retirement planning. The environment. Fossil fuels. Water shortages. Money. It's a huge thing to get an entire world to cooperate, especially first, second and third worlds.

Ah, but wouldn't it be nice if we did!!! Makes me think of the Coca Cola song "I'd like to buy the world a Coke."

[YOUTUBE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q8H5263jCGg[/YOUTUBE]

Rebby, when I was a kid, these ads were big back during the Viet Nam era. I, of course, believed them as I did everything about idealized peace in those days.

Right now, I'd like to buy this political sub-forum a Coke. And also to shake one up and spritz the man I'm married to and one of my fellow mods!

[dragonrider]

Uh, everyone knew we we going to run out of oil some day. How come no one planned for this shit?

It seems like were all rushing now to save our asses.

It's always like this --- plenty of warning and then a big rush to deal with the "crisis" once it finally arrives. It will be the same way with global climate change, Social Security, the national debt, and a thousand other things we see coming down the pipe. You'd like to think we'd get a head start on some of them, but probably not...

[Forwhat420]

If everyone were to stop using petro products for one week, how far would gas prices plummet?

[Shovelhandle]

Quote;
"I know I thought the same thing. Im still not cleared yet to ride mine yet buy the Doc or the wife. I will be in a few months. I cant wait to dust off the Goldwing."

Hey Bud, you riding yet? Hope your summer is rocking.

[RobPA]

You would think that when we invaded one of the largest petro producing countries that gas prices would go down, not up :wtf:


Nuke Power :thumbsup:

[rebgirl420]

You would think that when we invaded one of the largest petro producing countries that gas prices would go down, not up :wtf:


Nuke Power :thumbsup:

Well then I suppose that would throw a wrench in some people's ideas that say we went there for the oil.