We Need Oil (and Gas) Don't We?



Q: We need oil – don’t we?

Yes we do – BUT just a little bit longer (about 5-20 years, depending on the political will to change – not for technical or financial reasons) until we are ready to switch to renewable energy sources for ALL of our energy needs. However, there is ABSOLUTELY NO NEED to tap into “unconventional oil sources”, like shale oil that is exploited in and around Adrian, nor tar sands that are pumped through failing pipelines around Stockbridge, MI and Marshall, MI. There is still plenty of relatively cheap oil from OPEC countries like Saudi Arabia available. As a matter of fact, a lot of the oil and especially natural gas that is pumped out of 100% Pure Michigan is refined out of state and sold to the highest bidder, which is usually not the US. This makes the entire “domestic oil and gas” campaign even a bigger hoax.

Q: Do we need natural gas as a “bridge fuel” until we can depend on cleaner energy from renewable?

A: No – NOT AT ALL – and it is a bad idea to go for natural gas to reduce carbon dioxide emissions, as its production through fracking causes a lot of methane to escape into the atmosphere and methane is at least 100x worse in heating up the planet. In addition, the gas lines in the US are leaking in a big style causing additional massive and chronic methane spills all over the county. We should phase out this time bomb – not increase it. In addition, fracking threatens the integrity of our drinking water for centuries due to failing concrete casings and a highly toxic cocktail of chemicals pushed 3000-4000 feet down underground that will make its way into deep aquifers sooner or later. AND WE EVEN DON’T NEED IT! so why take the risk? It just makes the almost almighty energy corporations even richer!

Look how much money Oil & Gas (O&G) swallowed - and it still does. Even "Nuclear" is envious - and they also got a lot of tax money. The corn-lobby is behind the big "Biofuels" subsidies that are also not going to save us. Finally - and almost neclectable - look how little went into Wind, Water, Sun - imagine where we could be today if politics would have understood the times better!
Source: What would Jefferson do? – Nancy Pfund and Ben Healey, September 2011, DBL Investors, online at http://www.dblinvestors.com/resource/what-would-jefferson-do/

Instead of subsidizing and sponsoring dirty fossil fuels, it is far past-due to put more resources and money into renewable energy that is even with 2013 technology able to provide for all aspects of energy use for the ENTIRE WORLD by 2030. As we neglected to do the right things in the past, it will take us a short while - probably until 2030 (see the exciting research of the Stanford researchers Mark Z. Jacobson and Mark A. Delucchi – e.g. in Scientific American, November 2009, available online here: http://www.stanford.edu/group/efmh/jacobson/Articles/I/sad1109Jaco5p.indd.pdf ). More information about this research: http://www.stanford.edu/group/efmh/jacobson/Articles/I/susenergy2030.html

In the words of the researchers:
"We conclude that barriers to a 100% conversion to WWS (Wind, Water or Sunlight) power worldwide are primarily social and political, not technological or even economic.” (Energy Policy 39 (2011) 1170–1190).
Other good resources are:

The doability of "Green Energy" increases even further if we finally reduce our footprint and use energy more consciously instead of being energy hogs, and save this wonderful planet for our children and children’s children - and all the other creatures on this planet that have the right to be healthy and happy - just as we do!

5 comments:

  1. Good stuff Tom, thanks

    I heard this on the radio earlier today

    http://hereandnow.wbur.org/2013/08/14/utilities-challenged-solar



    john kuschell

    ReplyDelete
  2. Tom, your posting is naieve and misguided. You address only the need for oil for energy generation. As indicated before oil is used for far far more than just gas for our cars and fuel for electricity generation. How do you propose we address the myriad other products oil provides for us??? For example:

    One 42-gallon barrel of oil creates 19.4 gallons of gasoline. The rest (over half) is used to make things like:
    Solvents
    Diesel fuel
    Motor Oil
    Bearing Grease

    Ink
    Floor Wax
    Ballpoint Pens
    Football Cleats

    Upholstery
    Sweaters
    Boats
    Insecticides

    Bicycle Tires
    Sports Car Bodies
    Nail Polish
    Fishing lures

    Dresses
    Tires
    Golf Bags
    Perfumes

    Cassettes
    Dishwasher parts
    Tool Boxes
    Shoe Polish

    Motorcycle Helmet
    Caulking
    Petroleum Jelly
    Transparent Tape

    CD Player
    Faucet Washers
    Antiseptics
    Clothesline

    Curtains
    Food Preservatives
    Basketballs
    Soap

    Vitamin Capsules
    Antihistamines
    Purses
    Shoes

    Dashboards
    Cortisone
    Deodorant
    Footballs

    Putty
    Dyes
    Panty Hose
    Refrigerant

    Percolators
    Life Jackets
    Rubbing Alcohol
    Linings

    Skis
    TV Cabinets
    Shag Rugs
    Electrician's Tape

    Tool Racks
    Car Battery Cases
    Epoxy
    Paint

    Mops
    Slacks
    Insect Repellent
    Oil Filters

    Umbrellas
    Yarn
    Fertilizers
    Hair Coloring

    Roofing
    Toilet Seats
    Fishing Rods
    Lipstick

    Denture Adhesive
    Linoleum
    Ice Cube Trays
    Synthetic Rubber

    Speakers
    Plastic Wood
    Electric Blankets
    Glycerin

    Tennis Rackets
    Rubber Cement
    Fishing Boots
    Dice

    Nylon Rope
    Candles
    Trash Bags
    House Paint

    Water Pipes
    Hand Lotion
    Roller Skates
    Surf Boards

    Shampoo
    Wheels
    Paint Rollers
    Shower Curtains

    Guitar Strings
    Luggage
    Aspirin
    Safety Glasses

    Antifreeze
    Football Helmets
    Awnings
    Eyeglasses

    Clothes
    Toothbrushes
    Ice Chests
    Footballs

    Combs
    CD's & DVD's
    Paint Brushes
    Detergents

    Vaporizers
    Balloons
    Sun Glasses
    Tents

    Heart Valves
    Crayons
    Parachutes
    Telephones

    Enamel
    Pillows
    Dishes
    Cameras

    Anesthetics
    Artificial Turf
    Artificial limbs
    Bandages

    Dentures
    Model Cars
    Folding Doors
    Hair Curlers

    Cold cream
    Movie film
    Soft Contact lenses
    Drinking Cups

    Fan Belts
    Car Enamel
    Shaving Cream
    Ammonia

    Refrigerators
    Golf Balls
    Toothpaste
    Gasoline

    ReplyDelete
  3. Dear Anonymous,

    I don't know who of us is naive - and misguided. I am certainly aware about other uses of oil than to burn it. As I said earlier - I guess to you - that is how well you listen - we should keep our oil reserves for other things rather than to burn it for transportation and heating. However, many things on your list are actually not that good for our health and the environment either, e.g. our insane plastic over-production that is now a substantial part of the sand on every beach on this planet, and many petrochemicals that cause cancer and ruin our health. We do not need to get away from these things to covert to cleaner energy, but we should become more conscious of how much of what we need!

    Tom

    ReplyDelete
  4. Tom,
    Its good essay. Clean energy is the ultimate and only can save our mother Earth.

    ReplyDelete