Leaders for Energy Independence

“The prices of fossil fuels have fallen significantly over the last six months, but now is not the time to become complacent and fall back into wasteful habits,” Rendell said. “Demand for energy will rebound, but the rate of new discoveries of easily obtained, high-quality oil will not be able to match it. Prices will increase again, so we must make ourselves ready.”
So said PA Gov. Edward G. Rendell today. “Since taking office, I’ve set out to make Pennsylvania a leader in the development and deployment of alternative and renewable energy technologies, because we cannot continue to depend on foreign oil and we need to be better stewards of our environment,” said the governor. “We’ve also stressed the importance of conserving energy and using it more efficiently because the cheapest, cleanest energy is that which we do not use."

Think about it. Gas has been creeping back up again. By no means must we imagine that the tough times are over. But let us also consider this concept of 'rebounding.' Do we really have to? Think about it. You've survived the economic and energy crisis so far by driving less, carpooling, eating in, turning the lights off when you leave the room, dialing the heater back just a couple of degrees. Just because costs have dropped for a time, do you suddenly feel compelled to go wasting electricity and gas willy nilly? You're comfortable with the temperature set at 68 instead of 72. Stick with that. Is it REALLY necessary to drive halfway across town to pick up pizza from that place you like? Or would you maybe be just as happy slapping together one of those 'do it yourself' pizzas at home with the kids? hmm.

We, as consumers, can't really control the cost of services like water and electricity on our own. But we can learn to conserve out own resources. Not all of us can afford to install solar panels, or a wind generator. But all of us can turn off the lights when we leave, turn down the heat, maybe take shorter showers which saves water and electricity by not using as much water from your water heater. Some of us can maybe afford to get water conserving faucets and shower heads and toilets. The point is, do what you CAN, and you CAN make a difference. Even if the difference is only to you.

Surviving the Recession. Ending an addiction.

Well, plummeting stock markets and the like have done us one favor in the past month. They helped make the price of gas almost attainable again. Here in my area its around 2.65, with some places higher and some lower. In California I don't think it has dropped below 3 dollars yet, but there has definitely been a decline in cost. Crude is down from 117 a barrel to about 66 dollars. Despite the fact that fuel cost is down, a recent poll says that demand for gas is still down as much as 6% from where it was previously at higher prices. Our economic crisis has finally done what all the begging, pleading, preaching, and cajoling of conservationists could not: Cut the demand for fossil fuels.
Here is my message to you: Don't let politicians and capitalists convince you that the only way to save our economy is to drive more and shop more. All you are doing by taking such action is helping to continue to build our national economy on a culture of waste. You're throwing out the baby with the bathwater.
We've been given a chance. Our first big break in ending our addiction to oil, and our wasteful habits concerning water and energy conservation. We need to take this break and run with it. Build momentum, don't fall back into the same old routine! Life's tough for everyone right now, but if you've been able to get by on ten dollars less in gas a week, then please, I urge you to continue to do so. Gasoline isn't something you can buy when it is on sale and stockpile like Ramen Noodles and Cola from Costco. You buy it, you burn it up, and its gone. Money down the drain, followed by acid rain. Now is the time to make an investment in yourself, your family, our economy, our country, and our world. And you don't have to do a thing. And that thing is to give in to the pressure of politicians and lobbyists who would have you believe that buying into our oil addiction is the only way to support our country.
Cutting our demand for fossil fuels is the only way to get the message across to our energy companies and government that we need new sources of clean, renewable energy. Not just energy we can live with. Energy we can live by.
I have no links, no alerts, no petitions for you to sign today. Just food for thought. Eat up.

Top Issues: Drilling

Yesterday my mood was improved by my mother, followed by an email from the Obama campaign, informing me that in the wake of John McCain's announcement of Palin as his VP more first time contributors donated to the Obama campaign than ever before. Ah, the smell of political suicide in the morning.
Today, irked by the once again rising cost of gas (and doughnuts) I'm not in such a good mood.
A good friend of mine told me when we were discussing various political problems the other day that she supports more drilling in order to reduce our dependence on foreign oil. Alright, I'll give her that. I respect her opinions. But I see no point in opening up new areas such as in the Gulf of Mexico and ANWR to drilling when we aren't even striving for peak production with the drilling operations we HAVE. Until such time as production peaks in our CURRENT oil interests, I continue to be against further drilling. And I also expect that by such time as production peaks we will also be well on our way to the We Campaign (WeCanSolveIt.org) goal of 100% clean energy.
So that said, here is your chance to speak out against further offshore drilling, thanks to Defenders of Wildlife:
Please urge the U.S. Minerals Management Service -- the federal agency accepting comments on the Administration’s plan -- to shelve the Bush/Cheney Administration’s latest offshore oil drilling scam.

• Offshore drilling contaminates water, routinely spilling oil and toxic liquids into our oceans and releasing hazardous fumes into our air.
• Pollutants like mercury and persistent hydrocarbons contaminate important marine habitat near platforms.
• Seismic testing associated with drilling can cause dolphins, whales and other marine mammals to become disoriented and stranded and -- in some cases -- even die.
• Massive spills that can result from drilling and increased tanker traffic can kill dolphins, seabirds, sea turtles, fish and marine mammals.

And while the environmental damage of offshore drilling may be significant, the savings to U.S. consumers would not be. The U.S. Department of Energy reports that drilling off our coasts would have "no significant" impact on domestic production until 2030, and even then “impact on average wellhead prices is expected to be insignificant."

Tell the MMS that we don't need more drilling, what we need is a new way of thinking!

Haha of the day

It's funny, but it's not. From DCCC.org:

						Republican Leader Boehner caught golfing while House GOP pretends to be outraged at high gas prices Big Oil tax breaks and subsidies supported by Republicans... $14 Billion Political contributions made to Republicans by Big Oil this cycle... $13.5 Million Profit earned by the top five Big Oil Companies last quarter ... $44 Billion Cost of Boehner's green fees while a small band of Republicans' express faux outrage about gas prices... $240 The Grand Oil Party's hypocrisy about the cost of gas... Priceless Learn more about the Grand Oil Party's Hypocrisy on Gas Prices »

Independence Day!

Today is the day to declare your independence. From the influence of Anti-Wolf smear campaigns, from the influence of Green as a 'trend' more than a necessity, and most of all from the lies of Representatives and Lobbyists of Big Oil.
Have you noticed that just recently even evil oil mogul ExxonMobile has jumped on the 'we're here to save the planet!' bandwagon? ExxonMobile, who never took responsibility for the Exxon Valdez disaster? That's because their PR (public relations) consultant probably told them they needed to change their image if they expected to get public support for new drilling operations off our coasts, and inside our National Parks and Refuges.
Here's the facts from Defenders of Wildlife about oil drilling off our coasts and in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR. If you've heard people say "Ann-war" and had no idea what they were talking about, that's it.)

Fast Facts on Drilling and Gas Prices

Drilling will not lower gas prices today or solve our energy crisis.

• Even the U.S. Energy Information Administration has said that massive exploitation of new oil deposits will not produce oil for nearly a decade -- and then will not lower gasoline prices by more than a few cents per gallon.
• Under the Bush Administration, drilling permits have risen from 3,802 to 7,561 between 2002 and 2007. Eight years of increased oil leasing and production on America’s public lands has left us with nothing but high gas prices for consumers and record profits for Big Oil companies.
• More drilling would not affect world oil prices. The US has less than 3% of the world's oil reserves, yet we consume almost 25% of the world's oil.

Expanded drilling threatens permanent damage to wildlife.

• Offshore drilling threatens dolphins, whales, sea turtles and other imperiled wildlife. Drilling discharges mercury and other toxins into our fragile ecosystems. Such pollution can destroy beaches, and poison and kill the marine wildlife that we all care about. The noise from drilling is also incredibly disruptive to marine mammals. So while oil companies like ExxonMobil would continue to swim in record profits, dolphins and whales could become fatally disoriented, beach themselves and die.
• Drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge threatens polar bears and other Arctic wildlife. The noise and disturbance caused by drilling in the Arctic Refuge -- the most important onshore denning habitat for America’s struggling polar bears -- could cause polar bear mothers to abandon their cubs to die.
• Expanded drilling perpetuates global warming. Such drilling would further extend America’s dependence on climate-changing fuel sources that are threatening the very survival of polar bears and other animals.

We need real solutions that will end our dependence on oil once and for all.

• It’s time to take back the giveaways to Big Oil and secure our energy independence by investing that money in clean, renewable energy, energy efficiency, increased public transportation and the technologies needed to get our cars going further on a gallon of gas.
• A bold national commitment to renewable energy will put our economy back on the right path by bringing energy costs under control, creating over 820,000 new jobs, and making us more energy independent.
• Congress should stop giving tax breaks to Big Oil and start funding constructive alternatives that can make a difference in people’s lives NOW!

So, do you think you're ready to start declaring your independence from the ill-planned and thoughtless tactics of Big Oil? Then this independence day (and any other day you like!) I urge you to call your U.S. Senators and Representatives and ask them to oppose drilling on our public lands and off our coast. If you live in Maryland, these are your representatives:

• Sen. Barbara A. Mikulski - (202) 224-4654 or (410) 962-4510 - http://mikulski.senate.gov/mailform.html
• Sen. Benjamin 'Ben' L. Cardin - (202) 224-4524 or (410) 962-4436 - http://cardin.senate.gov/contact

And

• Rep. Roscoe G. Bartlett - (202) 225-2721 or (301) 694-3030 - http://www.bartlett.house.gov/Email_Roscoe

Pony up and ride to work!

Thanks to my friend Pam for sending me this article.

Washington Dentist's staff saddles up to beat gas costs.

Incidentally, I have just put my "Save Gas, Ride a horse" sticker on my rear window.

RANT

So, gas is anywhere between 4 dollars and 5 dollars a gallon across the country now. Diesel costs more, which makes no sense. Everything is about supply and demand...the more you need it the more they make you pay. And that includes everything from gasoline to food, because hey, we need gas to plant/harvest/ship the food. I heard some dumb son of a B*&@$ on C-Span a while back (some senator from some stupid state like ohio or something {forgive me ohioans}) say that gas prices had to remain high in order to cut demand. WTF?@! That would only work if you gave people an actual ALTERNATIVE. Ethanol is still not widely available, and doesn't really cost less than gas at this point. Not all of us can afford to go out and buy a new hybrid/electric/nuclear fusion (jk) car instead of one that runs on gasoline. We can't even afford to convert our current vehicles to bio-diesel, make buddy buddy with all the fast food restaurants in town and make our own french-fry fuel. Why? Because we have JOBS TO DO. We have FOOD TO BUY. CLOTHES. And we run ourselves ragged trying to keep ourselves and our kids fed and clothed and ahead of the bills and no matter what we still have to drive 12 miles to work and 12 miles home every day and buy gas at 4.09 a gallon. Then of course you have to go to the grocery store, take the kids to the doctor, the dog to the vet, go to the bank. God forbid you should actually want to go out and do something FUN!
We need SMART, AVAILABLE and AFFORDABLE alternatives before we can start cutting the demand for gasoline. Tell congress and those ohio senators to put THAT in their big oil pipe and smoke it.

Check out Gas Saving Tips from the Sierra Club.