In the heavily politicized debate over global warming, even scientists don’t seem to be able to avoid taking sides.
What’s forgotten, however, is that regardless of whether the chicken littles or the skeptics are right, the fact remains that the US is one of the greatest consumers of energy in the world. That’s not to say China (#72) couldn’t also cut its energy consumption, but overall, we’re near the top. Conservation is a virtue, and it would behoove us to find more efficient ways to travel, produce goods, and generally exist.
What’s wrong with leading the way towards cutting back on fossil fuel use and noxious emmissions? What’s wrong with conservation? What’s wrong with efficiency?
I don’t buy the “conservative” economists’ argument that modest increases in efficiency and reductions in emissions, particularly by car and lawnmower manufacturers, will destroy our economy. Nor do I buy the “environmentalists’” argument that nuclear power is a bad thing. In fact, if you listen to some “environmentalists,” you’ll soon realize that they don’t like ANY viable source of power: coal, gas, oil, hydropower, nuclear.
I’m rambling, but one last thought:
Many of you may have, at some point, received an email forward about indoor skiing in Dubai. I did recently, and it came with the following taglines:
- “Now we know what they do with all of the profits of a $70 barrel of oil.”
- “Why is gasoline $3.05 a gallon for regular unleaded?????? So they can ski in the desert, that’s why! Are we stupid or what!”
We may be stupid, but it has very little to do with skiing in Dubai.
The ones making oil profits are oil companies, and their (American) executives, like ExxonMobile’s Rex W. Tillerson (to pick just one), are making a killing.
I’d also like to point out that Dubai is part of the United Arab Emirates, the greatest consumer of energy in the world. Kuwait, another favorite medieval middle-eastern oligarchy, comes in second. Yet, these countries are somewhere around the size of Rhode Island! What Dubai seems to have realized that we have not, however, is that oil supplies will not last forever, and we damn well better have some other plans to generate income when they run out.
