More Drilling Is Not the Answer
June 19, 2008 by Peggy
Oh, sigh. I shouldn’t let politics get me down, but I was so disappointed today to hear that John McCain now supports offshore drilling in protected areas. A big booger, that one. (Read more at the Washington Post: Bush Calls for Offshore Oil Drilling and CNN: McCain wants to lift ban on offshore drilling.)
The whole thing makes me want to not own a car anymore. I did happen to fill up my Civic today, and I paid $41 for the cheap stuff.
But does that mean I want to go out and mess up ecosystems on US shores in hopes that it might save me a few bucks at the pump? I think you know.
Even if there were enough untapped oil in the US to lower prices, it’s a very finite resource. And the first drop of oil wouldn’t come for three to five years after drilling starts. We obviously can’t continue our serious dependence on oil of any kind — foreign or otherwise. The big answers should not come from politicians making unfounded promises to lower our gas bills.
I don’t have all the answers, but I’m smart enough to know that it’s not more oil and pollution that we need. I would have hoped the Presidential candidate on a major ticket would have known that too.
Until the the technology for gasoline-free cars is out there and affordable for everyone, there are a few other things you can do. I know, you’ve heard them all before, but repetition is the old school way of learning, after all.
• Walk or bike instead of drive, at least two days a week
• Carpool
• Live closer to work
• Use public transportation if available
So, you may be wondering why I’m disappointed in McCain when Bush is actually the one in power who’s actively trying to lift the ban on offshore drilling. It’s because I already knew what Bush is all about. Naive me thought that just maybe McCain was serious about his environmental concerns. Well, I guess I have my answer to Would John McCain be a Green President.
Please let McCain know what you think about his decision to support coastal drilling.
Image via flickr.
McCain has been the poor eco choice this whole campaign. But seeing as we had a lack of decent democrats that people can agree on, and with the fact that no green party candidate ever even makes a showing, I’m thinking, things look bad, real bad for those of us who don’t want him to win come election time.
Jennifer, thanks for commenting! : ) I was surprised that I didn’t get some angry comments on this post, but those anti-global warming friends of ours probably haven’t found it yet.
I missed the post on Obama you promised. What category is it in, please? Because i’d like to know how he compares, considering he is just as likely as McCain to flip flop on his stances.
Julie, Obama also did some weird “clean coal” ads to try to get the vote in Kentucky during primaries.
It’s under Climate & Global Warming. I don’t think we’ll have enough political posts around here for a new category.
http://www.treehuggingfamily.com/would-obama-be-a-green-president/