About
Community
Bad Ideas
Drugs
Ego
Erotica
Fringe
Society
Politics
Anarchism
Central Intelligence Agency (CIA)
Corporatarchy - Rule by the Corporations
Economic Documents
Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)
Foreign Military & Intelligence Agencies
Green Planet
International Banking / Money Laundering
Libertarianism
National Security Agency (NSA)
Police State
Political Documents
Political Spew
Right to Keep and Bear Arms
Terrorists and Freedom Fighters
The Nixon Project
The World Beyond the U.S.A.
U.S. Military
Technology
register | bbs | search | rss | faq | about
meet up | add to del.icio.us | digg it

The True Price of Oil

by Marc Ries

Date: 26 Aug 89 08:42:22 GMT

This month, the U.S. imported over 50% of it's oil from foreign sources. The price we pay for this oil at the pump doesn't begin to reflect the billions of dollars of our (YOURS and mine) taxpayer dollars spent on U.S. military "presence" in foreign oil ports and related (destructive) societal costs. That $17 barrel of Middle East oil currently is estimated to actually cost us NO LESS than $49/barrel.

In 1986, the U.S. used 10% of its GNP to pay its fuel bill. Japan only used 4% that year. The difference was $200,000 million. In 1988, in the U.S., there was an 11% decrease in the ratio of GNP to energy use. We imported 1.5 million barrels/day more oil than in 1983. We are back- peddling.

One half of the electricity produced in America comes from coal, the major contributor to Acid Rain, ozone and carbon dioxide problems. The burning of fossil fuels is killing forests, streams, lakes, oceans. Acid Rain is dissolving buildings, monuments and artwork, killing people and crops. We are talking thousands of billions of dollars. And who is paying for it? Obviously, it's not showing up in our utility or gas bills.

Imported oil costs the U.S. $30,500 million in lost jobs, every year!.

America already has the technology to build sophisticated and comfortable homes that CAN be heated on the equivalent of a burning candle. Unfortunately, too many self-centered people too busy seeking their "good life" are willing to accept homes/cars/etc. that are energy "pigs", and so, the majority of new homes/cars/etc. built in America don't take advantage of these energy-efficient technologies.

Most people don't realize the POTENTIAL for energy savings. The U.S. could save many millions of barrels of oil just by raising the CAFE only a single MPG. Similar examples abound. The question isn't what can we do to help, but why aren't we do something.

When Reagan became President, that U.S. government you are referring to spent about $270 million dollars that year researching renewable energy technologies (PV, Solar Thermal, Solar Building). Last year, that same government spent only about $45 million. Exxon spent has spent almost as much money cleaning up the the Alaskan oil spill (currently about $1.3 billion) then the U.S. has spent IN TOTAL (about $2 billion) on these same renewable energy technologies.

1983 was the last year that the U.S. had a National Energy Policy. Last year, a Gallop Poll indicated that 54% of Americans favored development of solar energy over any other technology to meet our future needs. Only 12 percent favored nuclear power priority. Nuclear waste disposal and Nuclear DECOMMISSIONING is costing the U.S. $31 000 million per year. Yet U.S. funding for nuclear R&D is nearly seven times more than all other renewable energy technologies combined. IF the U.S. took advantage of the best "buys" in energy-efficient technology between now and the year 2000, we could save enough money to pay off the National Debt (several trillion dollars). Don't hold your breath.

 
To the best of our knowledge, the text on this page may be freely reproduced and distributed.
If you have any questions about this, please check out our Copyright Policy.

 

totse.com certificate signatures
 
 
About | Advertise | Bad Ideas | Community | Contact Us | Copyright Policy | Drugs | Ego | Erotica
FAQ | Fringe | Link to totse.com | Search | Society | Submissions | Technology
Hot Topics
Global Warming is Helpful
1000th thread
Al Gore's Energy Use
co2 gas whats the big idea to save us all!!!
Why isn't eugenics being taken seriously?
Recycling a detriment?
Hydrogen cars
A point often missed...
 
Sponsored Links
 
Ads presented by the
AdBrite Ad Network

 

TSHIRT HELL T-SHIRTS