|
Curl: Serious doubts? Are you suggesting that Brazil's achievements (reportedly 70 per cent independent of foreign oil, mostly through ethanol; to a lesser extent, domestic oil production), for example, are illusory? If we manage to substitute energy alternatives at the rate of two to five per cent per year, we succeed. -- J. Lang > Date: Mon, 23 Jun 2008 10:59:17 -0400 > From: ranecurl@umich.edu > To: enviro-mich@great-lakes.net > Subject: Re: E-M:/ Bush energy policy? > > Recently both president Bush and senator McCain have mentioned that the > estimated oil reserves on our outer continental shelf amount to some 21 > *billion* barrels, and they suggest that this can help us in being "energy > independent" of foreign oil. This vast amount of oil, however, cannot > provide "energy independence". > > The US currently consumes 20 *million* barrels of oil per *day*. Dividing > 21 billion by 20 million gives 1050 *days* of oil supply - less than 3 > years. I recall the same calculation applied to ANWAR gave some 6 months > of oil supply. > > I find that most of the arguments for more drilling are based on a desire > to continue, or even increase for the sake of economic growth, our current > oil consumption, while ignoring the energy precipice not too distant in > the future. The motivation for this appears to be primarily to keep the > economic engine of the oil industry and what it supports running at full > tilt as long as possible. > > One analyst recently suggested that the reason for more drilling is to > give us "breathing room" for the development of alternative energy > sources, naming wind, solar, nuclear, tidal, geothermal, hydroelectric, > etc as future replacements for oil. I will only believe that when I see an > enormous investment by the nation in developing those alternatives, > starting with a serious analysis of whether it is even possible for them > to substitute for even our current oil consumption. I have serious doubts > of that. > > --Rane L Curl > > On Mon, 23 Jun 2008, Larry D. Noodén wrote: > > > NYT OP-ED COLUMNIST > > > > Mr. Bush, Lead or Leave > > By THOMAS L. FRIEDMAN > > It is hard to find the words to express what a fraudulent, > > pathetic excuse for an energy policy President Bush's new > > plan is. > > > > Two years ago, President Bush declared that America was ?addicted to oil,? > > and, by gosh, he was going to do something about it. Well, now he has. Now we > > have the new Bush energy plan: ?Get more addicted to oil.? > > > > <http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/22/opinion/22friedman.html?th&emc=th> Need to know now? Get instant answers with Windows Live Messenger. IM on your terms. |