The author misses several important points that most of us know by now:
1) The harm of oil development is not just spills, but ruined habitats and enduring environmental scars.
2) Simple measures to save energy in our daily lives and in our places of work will more than offset increased supply. The economics that support expensive mining argue for conservation too. Blackened skies and lungs are also reasons for increasing conservation and cutting oil exploration
3) An oil company makes more money (say, 8% ROI, plus multi-million dollar salaries) from oil than it earns from your driving a fuel efficient car or walking to work. So it's worth the company's investment in politicians who support oil development and consumption. With the help of OpEd pieces lauding oil drilling, they nurture the notion that conservation is not an option, let alone desirable and necessary.
To summarize, short-sighted oil production (ignoring long term consequences) goes hand in hand with short-sighted politicians. The long view - reduced energy consumption is the answer - escapes the author. He is like those he he criticizes: He chooses to ignore the consequences of today's reliance on energy mining.
Posted on June 5 at 3:26 p.m. (Suggest removal)
The author misses several important points that most of us know by now:
1) The harm of oil development is not just spills, but ruined habitats and enduring environmental scars.
2) Simple measures to save energy in our daily lives and in our places of work will more than offset increased supply. The economics that support expensive mining argue for conservation too. Blackened skies and lungs are also reasons for increasing conservation and cutting oil exploration
3) An oil company makes more money (say, 8% ROI, plus multi-million dollar salaries) from oil than it earns from your driving a fuel efficient car or walking to work. So it's worth the company's investment in politicians who support oil development and consumption. With the help of OpEd pieces lauding oil drilling, they nurture the notion that conservation is not an option, let alone desirable and necessary.
To summarize, short-sighted oil production (ignoring long term consequences) goes hand in hand with short-sighted politicians. The long view - reduced energy consumption is the answer - escapes the author. He is like those he he criticizes: He chooses to ignore the consequences of today's reliance on energy mining.
Eliot Khuner
Kensington, CA
On Op-ed column: U.S. must tap its own oil resources or face even greater energy crisis