Tales Of Energy Policies

We are not in an energy crisis, we are in a energy correction. We have been hearing more and more that we need to become ‘less dependent on foreign oil‘. This doesn’t mean we need to eliminate the use of oil. Eliminating the use of oil is impossible and not reasonable.

So how do we lessen our dependency?

What if we eased our drilling restrictions off the coast or in ANWR? Because doing so, some will have you believe, means you are a) in the pocket of big oil b) don’t care about the environment. That is what the Obama campaign is saying about McCain’s. But let’s think about that. If we eased the restrictions, does that mean that there will be UNLIMITED amounts of oil riggs in either of those locations? No, because the House and Senate can write in any restrictions the public finds necessary. Does it even mean that there will be any added oil riggs? No one knows, because the oil companies are private and will only go into those areas if deemed profitable.

Note: Oil companies and OPEC are benefiting from capitalism. They will continue to sell oil at premium prices as long as we continue to purchase. Why lower their price or increase supply, which would lower the price, if we continue to pay.

We need to increase our domestic production of oil in order to reduce the number of barrels we import. America was producing 9 million barrels a day less than 5 years ago. Today that number has dropped to 5.5 million barrels a day. During that same period of time or cost for gasoline has doubled. Is that a coincidence? What do you think OPEC or even oil speculators would do If  we were able to go back to those levels? Couldn’t that ease prices?

None of the above will happen until there is a Democrat President. Congress is certain to delay until then as well.

Obama’s biggest argument to additional drilling is there will be no benefits for 5-10 years. What does the Obama campaign offer as a solution?

1. Reduce or consumption of oil by 35%, or 10 million barrells a day, by 2030: Today we use 21 million barrels a day. That will reduce it to 11 million barrels a day? Today we only produce 5.5 million barrels a day, were will the difference come from? That is a goal for 2030, 22 years in the future.

2. Cellulosic Ethanol: give tax incentives, cash prizes, and government contracts to bring the first two billion gallons of cellulosic ethanol to market by 2013. What else will this affect? Let’s assume all ethanol is the same and can be combined with corn based ethanol. Can a is cellulosic ethanol refinery the same as a corn ethanol refinery? Does it take less cellulosic ’stuff’ per acre to make? Does cellulosic ethanol need to be imported? or can it all be grown and harvested in the U.S.? Besides those questions what about corn ethanol; 10% ethanol blend is only available to 46% of the gas stations across America. I don’t even know where the nearest 85% ethanol gas station is. Even if I did, I would need to purchase a new car to fill up with it because unless it is marked as a ‘flexfuel’ a regular combustion engine can only handle a 10% ethanol blend. Ethanol, made with corn, is also to blame for the high cost of groceries and high cost of corn (corn is also used to feed live stock, increasing the cost to raise live stock that is also a food source).

Tip: Bush already proposed increased funding and use of cellulosic ethanol in his State Of The Union address in 2006.

Both campaigns support increased fuel efficiency. In my opinion the best way to do this is by making hybrids more economical. McCain offered a compelling jump start by offering a reward to the person/company that can design the better battery.

This of course was laughed off by the Democrats and TV pundits. Offering it as ridiculous. I am not sure why.  Hybrids offer the highest mileage per gallon. If the majority of America owned hybrids…. wait for it…. less gas consumption.

I know I have been concentrating on ‘car’ energy but I have to get this off my chest: You CANNOT include Clean Coal Technology as part of your energy solution! Especially in the same breath of mentioning the lowering of green house gasses or the word green anywhere. By adding the word ‘Clean’ to Coal Technology doesn’t make it better. You have to strip mine and blast to get the coal out of the ground. All of that equipment to reach the coal, how does that help the environment? Green house gasses impact? Once coal is exposed it proves to be even more dangerous to the environment. Coal’s footprint has to be larger than any oil rig. It doesn’t matter because coal can be stripped from any hill or mountain range.

UPDATE: Additional thoughts after digesting the issue more.

First, you need to see this YouTube video of Reid’s statement about coal and oil.

What I want to see in an energy policy:

1. Allow use of veggie-diesel: Converting a diesel motor to run on veggie oil is illegal.
2. Eased restrictions for personal power production: residential solar, residential wind. Right now a majority of power companies are closed grid. Not allowing you produce your own power and being hooked into the grid to give your surplus or use for backup.
3. My next car to be rated for OVER 30mpg in the city: wether it is electric or hybrid it needs to be cost efficient and off tax savings. If a fuel efficiency bill is passed, and to take place in 5 years. Not 10-20 years.

NBC Going Green…Does Green Mean Enviroment Or Money From Advertisers?

After five days of NBC’s Green programing and I have to ask, Does NBC care for the environment? or Have they developed a week of programing around an advertisement for Green products?

I am not sure if NBC really cares about the environment, but it is obvious they are recieving advertising dollars in the name of environmentalism.

The NBC Nightly News with Brian Williams is brought to you with limited interupts thanks to Toyota…The Prius. The interruption, an ad for the Prius, where designers are building a model of the Prius out of twigs, string, and leaves. Then the ‘Prius‘ bio-degrades back to nature. What is Toyota claiming? The parts used to build the ‘Prius‘ are bio-degradable?

How about recieving ‘Green Tips’ from cast members of your favorite show? Monday night ‘Chuck‘ cast members told me about some ‘Green Tips’ sponsored by Home Depot’s Eco Options.

But it really got annoying when the SITCOM’s (drama’s too) had environmental issues actually written into their plots.

Bionic Woman, tried to watch it for the first time this week, turned it off when she (Jamie the Bionic Woman) attends an environmental awareness gala. Who, that are REALLY green, attend gala’s?

Life, not my kind of show, but watched a clip on the NBC.com Green Is Universal site where they have a cheesy scene walking around a solar farm. I guess one the characters is looking to invest in it. Well, needless to say they run out of gas in front of the solar panels. They very hot red head, terrible acting abilities, tries to sell the irony.

Tonight, sent me over the top.

30 Rock, whose shtick is shilling for NBC and GE goes overboard. Jack creates a mascot, Greenzo (played by Schwimmer) to sell NBC & GE’s green initiative. I got disgusted when Al Gore’s big fat head came onto the screen. Loved the ‘Inconvenient Truth‘ but the guy has a big head.

Scrubs, they got in on the act too! Last season sell outs! I liked their episode but…The janitor is inspired after watching the ‘Inconvenient Truth’ to make the hospital more green. J.D. receives a Prius from his brother.

ER, a show I won’t watch, goes through an energy usage study.

Of course it isn’t stopping there. There are still 2 more days left in the week! Friday, a night I don’t watch network TV, but on the NBC site I see that Deal or No Deal is going to have a special ‘Green Guest’. Two shows I would never guess or even foresee have a Green plot. Friday Night Lights, a show centered around a high school football team, questions their less then ‘Green’ lifestyle. Las Vegas conveniently host a Green conference. I’m surprised they didn’t host an Inconvenient one.

How much does it cost for a Green company to buy their way into a script? Are we talking Super Bowl advertising prices? If Toyota had to pay, then did Al Gore? because all Al Gore is, is a shill for his movie. When has Gore paid for anything, I don’t believe he even pays for his own carbon offsets.

Enough spite.

If there is going to be any good that comes from this, it is going to be more informed neighbors. Neighbors who might have thought about becoming more ‘Green’ but might have been inspired to find out more. Maybe even take bigger steps at becoming more ‘Green’.After this post, I probably also contributed to NBC’s ad revenue…

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