And Offshore Drilling is Ugly, Too!
The New York Times ran an article on June 19, 2008, with the headline Idea of Offshore Drilling Seems to Be Spreading. Apparently, Americans are so desperate to buy cheap gasoline, they'll do anything, absolutely anything, including destroying the environment, the beauty of their country, and their children's future. Even going to war.
In 1973, the Organization of Arab Petroleum Exporting Countries (OAPEC) announced they would no longer ship oil to nations—the United States included—who supported Israel in its war with Syria and Egypt. That was a wake–up call for our elected representatives to lead. They did not.
First, oil and natural gas are finite resources. Their use has accelerated now that other countries have increased their use of petroleum products, but the earth can't sustain the demand. As the demand increases and the supply evaporates, the price goes up. That's not too difficult to understand. Offshore drilling would increase petroleum production by a very small percentage, but it too is finite. Its affect on gasoline prices would be none to insignificant and take misspent years to bring to market.
Second, offshore drilling is environmentally iffy. Oh sure, the technology is better than it was 30 years ago, the "proof" being the survival of the drilling rigs pounded by hurricane Katrina. Give me a break! Do we honestly believe that the drilling platforms can survive a 30–second 7.2+ earthquake along the San Andreas fault? Such events destroy entire cities. The 1964 Anchorage, Alaska earthquake measured 9.0 on the Richter scale, the equivalent of 5.6 gigatons—that's gigatons—of TNT! Offshore drilling platforms "would collapse like a bunch of broccoli." Moreover, money spent on further petroleum exploration would encourage more consumption, which would in turn increase global warming and divert funds from R&D.
Third, oil companies have been trying to get Congress to allow offshore drilling for decades. Why? They stand to make money, mountains of money. Their lobbyists could not get Congress to authorize more drilling off the coasts of California and Florida, but they've been enormously successful at securing tax breaks—like they really need them. What a hoot. But, now these companies have their "perfect storm." Our president is an incurious, failed oil man. Congress is terrified that the voters will turn them out. "Me–only" Americans suffering from unparalleled selfishness want to be saved from their gluttony with cheap fuel to fill their gallactically huge SUVs—the acme of conspicuous consumption.
Last, what we need is leadership, go–to–the–moon–in–this–decade leadership. America has the knowhow and vigor to make herself energy–independent. What we lack is the political will to set firm goals, reward entrepreneurs who find solutions, and ask Americans to make temporary sacrifices for the greater long–term good. Offer a billion–dollar reward to the person or company who comes up with a way to perfect the plugin electric car or mass produce hydrogen fuel–cell technology. A billion dollars—10 billion dollars—is chump change.
Americans have brought the energy problem on themselves by ignoring the obvious. Now it's time to pay the piper.
No fine work can be done without concentration and self–sacrifice and toil and doubt. ~Max Beerbohm
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