I’ve been meaning to write something about recent energy and environment politics, especially in light of the G8 summit and all the recent unilateral initiatives from some of the worst polluting countries (eg US, China, Australia). Unfortunately i dont have time.
I did, however want to point to the Democrats’ perhaps recent legislative pushes. They’re working on a bill to remove federal tax breaks than benefit the oil companies such as for oil and gas exploration and channeling the money towards renewable energy sources.
Naturally the oil companies and Bushies arent very happy. They’ve raised the same bull claims about dependence on foreign oil (hello, it’s several decades old and non-reversible). And how we have no substitutes for oil-based products (exactly, dumbass, that’s why you need to find alternatives). Or how it will kill thousands of jobs (the money isnt being burnt, it’s going somewhere else). I pity the people that fall for the same rehashed proclamations.
The other direction they’re working on is raising fuel efficiency standards for US automobiles. Personally, i think it’s about god damn time. Americans need to wake the hell up from the magical 50s and 60s which is ultimately what set this all in motion. Dirt cheap oil combined with (and perhaps helping to catalyze) the suburban boom and America’s all-consuming lust for bigger harder better faster more more more more have led to absurdly low fuel efficiency. Despite a brief slowdown in the 70s, this unrealistic and, frankly, extremely shortsighted trend has continued relentlessly for 6 decades and really needs to be reversed. I mean there are two main global oil demand peaks: the winter led by US and Euro heating fuel and the summer because of the US road trip season.
Down with the auto and oil industries!
Ahem… I’ll end the rant there for now. But i’m sure to revisit.
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