Think green and power it down
SAMANTHA BROOKS
Opinion Writer
Issue date: 4/14/08 Section: Opinion
Companies from the oil and fossil fuel industries have been backing politicians for decades, each choosing their supported candidate based on how well that candidate can help further their own agendas.
In the 2008 election, and in future elections, nothing will change because politicians (both Democrats and Republicans) need the financial aid from these industrial big shots.
One thing our politicians keep dancing around and ignoring, however, is the continuing failure of natural resource and oil companies to find additional fossil fuel reserves.
The fact of the matter is, oil reserves are dwindling and natural gas has to be imported because we've all but depleted our resources in America.
In the early 1970s, American oil production hit its peak and each subsequent year has brought less and less oil because the taps are running dry.
Saudi and Iraqi oil are the only oil sites that have not reached its peak yet.
Environmental biologists are predicting that it's only a matter of time before these reserves peak and production plummets.
There are two major thought processes about the predicated doom of industrial nations (the consensus seems to be 2025): the Republicans ignore it and the Democrats preach doomsday epics.
Republicans prefer to ignore the problem, saying it's only a matter of time before new reserves are found.
Democrats believe in finding alternative energy sources and arguing that the government should do something about the energy issue.
I'm a true blue Democrat (and I agree with investing in alternative energy sources), but waiting for the government to address the energy crisis is suicide.
Instead we should be taking notes from Cuba and Third World countries, as well as Richard Heinberg's "Powerdown."
Possible alternative energy resources aside, the process of powering-down is what we should be aiming for, both individually and as a global society.
Heinberg explains that powering-down can help conserve the resources we have left because it forces people to use less; it teaches people how to be productive without the constant need to lap up fossil fuels.
In the 2008 election, and in future elections, nothing will change because politicians (both Democrats and Republicans) need the financial aid from these industrial big shots.
One thing our politicians keep dancing around and ignoring, however, is the continuing failure of natural resource and oil companies to find additional fossil fuel reserves.
The fact of the matter is, oil reserves are dwindling and natural gas has to be imported because we've all but depleted our resources in America.
In the early 1970s, American oil production hit its peak and each subsequent year has brought less and less oil because the taps are running dry.
Saudi and Iraqi oil are the only oil sites that have not reached its peak yet.
Environmental biologists are predicting that it's only a matter of time before these reserves peak and production plummets.
There are two major thought processes about the predicated doom of industrial nations (the consensus seems to be 2025): the Republicans ignore it and the Democrats preach doomsday epics.
Republicans prefer to ignore the problem, saying it's only a matter of time before new reserves are found.
Democrats believe in finding alternative energy sources and arguing that the government should do something about the energy issue.
I'm a true blue Democrat (and I agree with investing in alternative energy sources), but waiting for the government to address the energy crisis is suicide.
Instead we should be taking notes from Cuba and Third World countries, as well as Richard Heinberg's "Powerdown."
Possible alternative energy resources aside, the process of powering-down is what we should be aiming for, both individually and as a global society.
Heinberg explains that powering-down can help conserve the resources we have left because it forces people to use less; it teaches people how to be productive without the constant need to lap up fossil fuels.
Viewing Comments 1 - 1 of 1
Todd Cory
posted 4/14/08 @ 9:35 AM MST
I find it curious that what escapes most people is the simple fact that a finite planet cannot support unlimited growth.
The great unwinding has begun. (Continued…)
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