Great points. Americans must stand up against our oil consumption. It is our weakest link. Hybrid cars, wind energy and the like is what we want now! I'm writting my state officials about it today!
>>"Of couse there are those who's very existence is bent on our destruction."
In this case it is our own president and the oil lobby.In the comming days our government will absolutely want to press for more drilling in the US because we are at war. But we know that the oil extruded our take years to reach the market. Nor will it reduce our dependence on foreign oil. We need to endoflife oil (energy and plastics).
Read about
global warming and energy.
Here is a letter than I got yesterday form the NRDC (c sig) saying what they are planning to do on this EXACT issue.
-------- Letter --------
Dear BioGems Defender,
Our hearts go out to those of you in NRDC's extended family of 600,000
Members and online activists who have suffered the loss of loved ones
or colleagues in the terrible events of September 11th.
As you may know, NRDC is headquartered in New York City, with one of
our field offices in Washington, D.C. Thankfully, our staff and
immediate families are all safe and accounted for. But we have friends
who are missing, and we share in the grief that has stricken all
Americans in the aftermath of this tragedy.
I wanted to share a few thoughts with you about the work that lies
ahead for NRDC and our BioGems Campaign. With your ongoing
partnership, we are determined to put our unique expertise to work for
the common good in this time of crisis.
As Americans, we must now join together in shaping a strong response
to terrorism. For NRDC that means advocating policies that will
immediately begin reducing our nation's dependence on oil, whether
imported or domestic. **That is the single most important thing that
we, as environmentalists, can do to ensure America's national security
and environmental security.**
America's unchecked consumption of oil has become a national Achilles
heel. It constrains our military options in the face of terror. It
leaves our economy dangerously vulnerable to price shocks. It invites
environmental degradation, ecological disasters, and potentially
catastrophic climate change.
Don't be surprised in the days ahead to hear some in Washington call
for a massive increase in domestic oil drilling in order to achieve
national security. They ignore one crucial fact: our nation simply
doesn't have enough oil reserves to drill our way to self-sufficiency
or to affect oil prices, which are set on the world market. We control
only 3 percent of the world's oil reserves -- a mere drop in the
bucket -- but we consume a staggering 25 percent of the world's oil
supply.
Even if we developed every potential oil deposit in America --
including the Arctic Wildlife Refuge, Greater Yellowstone, the
California coast and other endangered wildlands -- we'd still be
importing oil, still be paying worldwide prices for domestic oil, and
still be leaving ourselves vulnerable to supply disruptions.
Is there an alternative? Yes. We can reduce our out-of-control
appetite for fossil fuels. We can rely on smarter and cleaner ways to
power our economy. For 30 years, NRDC has been proving that energy
efficiency and alternative energy technologies can save billions of
barrels of oil, while benefiting our health, our pocketbooks and our
environment.
I want you to know that, in the months to come, NRDC will be a leading
advocate for an energy future that reduces this dangerous addiction to
oil and increases our reliance on cleaner alternatives spawned by
American ingenuity. That is our very best hope -- our only hope --
for getting us on a self-reliant energy path toward lasting national
and environmental security.
In the meantime, I hope you are able to take extra time with those you
love, and to begin the healing we all so urgently need.
Sincerely,
John H. Adams
President
NRDC
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BioGems: Saving Endangered Wild Places
A project of the Natural Resources Defense Council
http://www.savebiogems.org
Letter --------