I love oil. My car loves oil too, not to mention my motorcycle, my wife’s van, uh, and the truck. I also love how oil cozily heats up a cold wintery house. I love the form and shape it gives to plastic—oil based product that it is. In short, I love the lifestyle oil gives me. Don’t you? Perhaps that’s why we refuse to acknowledge its darker side. Consider this: “The use, or more appropriately, over-use of petroleum has resulted in the chemical pollution of our atmosphere, soil, water, and even our bodies. By-products of oil, coal, and natural gas, such as carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, and nitrogen oxides, contribute to lung cancer, asthma, acid rain, and species die-offs, among a great wealth of other negative consequences.”[1] And then consider our most recent oil disaster, BP’s Deepwater Horizon oil rig explosion in the Gulf of Mexico.
Do we really know what we’re doing? The consequences of BP’s oil rig’s explosion are yet to be felt. At this point we are ignorant of the following:
We do not yet know what caused the explosion in the first place. What went wrong? Can we prevent this sort of thing from happening again?
We have no idea how much oil will ultimately have been let loose upon the waters of the Gulf. When will they succeed in stopping the flow? They are on top of it, working 24/7 to get the thing plugged. Meanwhile, the oil spreads and spreads and spreads.
We have no idea of the extended business and financial impact. Who and how many will suffer severe economic setbacks because of this disaster: hotels, recreation and tourism industries, fishing industries, municipalities, and Mississippi River transport businesses: just how many private property owners in the Gulf region and small business owners will suffer for this?
We have no idea as to the extended environmental impact of this accident. How will this affect land, sea, air and its animal, plant life? How long will it take Mother Nature to recover from this particular “oil spill”? What will be the ultimate cost to the Gulf’s eco system?
Finally, we have no idea when, where, and how the next tragic accident will occur. Who has the power to prevent these kinds of unfortunate accidents from ever happening again? I can answer that one: no one! That’s who. After all, we are only human.
But what’s the alternative? I wonder. Why aren’t we able to support a common vision toward moving beyond oil dependency? In the early ‘60’s, then President John F. Kennedy gave this nation a seemingly unrealistic and costly goal: Reach the moon before the decade ends! What a vision. And we did it! This nation has proven itself to be capable of doing awesome and far reaching feats when ignited and united by a common vision and a meaningful purpose. Can’t we have such a goal respecting our need and use of energy? Find, develop, and begin to use safer, healthier, renewable sources of energy by 2020! What a vision.
I suspect that the answer is NO. And I can guess at three possible simple reasons for this: (1) Big Oil Corporations, oil traders and providers, along with related supporting businesses that benefit from our dependency on oil, will do all they can and then some to keep us from moving away from their precious Cash Cow (2) we, the average American consumer, refuse to pay higher costs for anything, especially for energy consumption—it’s too directly connected to our lifestyle—I love my car, motorcycle, and truck! We thrive on cheap oil; and thus, (3) it’s political suicide to look too green and/or to move in the direction of actually taking difficult, concrete, perhaps even painful steps toward weaning us off our national addiction to oil, considering the lifestyle it provides us. We get what we want, and we want abundant, cheap oil. WE are our worst enemy. As to oil’s dark side, and the mess it makes from time to time, it’s tolerable. We’re willing to deal with it. Why? Because we believe that oil’s benefits far outweigh its cost and its negative side effects.
We ARE aware of the fact that oil is a non-renewable energy resource? One day we shall certainly run out of it. But from one generation to the next, at least we can say, “Thank goodness, not in OUR life-time!” We hope. Lack of oil will be the next generation’s problem; thus, we, this generation, can rest content. Hopefully, we will be long gone by the time the “next generation” has to deal with a lack of oil. Right?
Why then can’t we unite as a people with a concerted effort to move toward a non oil-based economy? All we need is the Vision and the Will to do so: the vision to believe that it can and should be done, and the will to pay the cost for doing it.
Indeed, knowing that oil is a non renewable, limited natural resource, there is no question that in the very near future, as generations come and go, humanity will be forced to deal with the lack of oil. Why not take the lead and be the first nation to deal with that prospect now? Why can’t we be one step ahead of the game instead of three steps behind?
What can we do?
Might we not support investing more money on seeking and developing new and alternative energy sources, including accepting higher taxes on oil consumption? (I know, “Heaven forbid such a thing!!” And, pardon me for even suggesting it, but I ain’t no Commie or Socialist either.) But might we not stand up to the powerful special (Oil) interest groups and stick to a national people’s vision for moving above and beyond oil dependency? Can we give united support to leaders in all fields, who are willing to develop an Energy Vision, and give it shape, keeping it before us, and helping us stay on track until we “get there”?
Okay, I’m dreaming. Call me naïve. But, hey, it never hurts to dream a little. But, now it’s time for me to wake up and take a ride on my motorcycle. Ahhh! Love that revving sound as it gurgles up that oil!
1see:http://www.oildepletionprotocol.org/getinformed/oilchemicalsandplastics [Return]
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