Moving Beyond Big Oil, I can just hear the gnashing of teeth in Oklahoma

01/20/2012
A Good Year for Moving Beyond Oil
We haven't even made it out of January, but 2012 is already shaping up as a watershed year in the fight to end our addiction to oil.

The big news, of course, was President Obama's decision not to approve the Keystone XL tar sands pipeline. It was politically brave on the president's part, but it's also a huge symbol of the growing recognition that what's good for Big Oil has nothing to do with what's good for America and that the sooner we can separate oil and state, the better.

It's not just environmentalists who understand this -- it's everyone from labor (the United Steelworkers, United Auto Workers, and Transport Workers unions were just some of those that opposed the pipeline) to Nebraska ranchers to young people concerned about reckless climate-disrupting carbon pollution.

So kudos again to the Obama administration for standing up to intense pressure from what is still the wealthiest industry on the planet.

It's fantastic that we've stopped what once looked like an unstoppable pipeline, but let's not forget that if we really want to move our country beyond oil, we need to do more than just stop bad things -- we have to move forward on good things, too. Fortunately, this year the Obama administration also plans to make one particularly good thing happen: setting a new average fuel-economy standard of 54.5 mpg for cars and trucks by 2030.

That translates to using 1.5 million fewer barrels of oil per day by 2030 -- as much oil as we imported from Saudi Arabia and Iraq combined last year. The cumulative amount of carbon pollution eliminated would be a staggering 6 billion metric tons over the life of the program -- the equivalent to one year of current U.S. CO2 emissions. It will be the single biggest thing any nation has done to address climate pollution -- and the biggest step yet toward moving America beyond oil.

Next Tuesday, January 24, I'll be among those speaking here in San Francisco at the third and last of three public hearings on the new fuel standards (the others were in Detroit and Philadelphia). The public's invited, so come if you can. If you can't be there, you can comment online, instead.

Detroit was a fitting venue for a hearing because these new standards are enthusiastically supported by not just consumers and environmental groups but also by autoworkers and automobile manufacturers (thirteen of them, including the Big Three). In fact, the Sierra Club will be holding a press event and rally across the street from the San Francisco hearings at the Longshoreman's Hall (400 North Point St.). If you're in the Bay Area, join us at noon. Lots of our partners in labor, public health, and consumer protection will be there, and we'll have a few electric vehicles and super high-efficiency vehicles, as well as some special guests from city government.

Of course, many battles lie ahead -- Big Oil won't give up easily and still has plenty of political clout. But it's hard not to feel optimistic on the heels of a huge victory and the verge of a historic breakthrough.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: glitterbootygirl,

What a great idea! Why don't they raise the standard to 100 MPG and save even more? How about 200?! The sky's the limit!

quote:

Originally posted by kenlori:
What a great idea! Why don't they raise the standard to 100 MPG and save even more? How about 200?! The sky's the limit!

I think the rational response would be that since the technology exists to implement 54 mpg then the laws should require it to be implemented by 2030.

But the irrational response is the one you posted.

Kenny is busy lookin for evidence that the Arkansas Democrat killed his kids' cat for political gain. He aint got time for rationality.

2030 is a loooong time away. A lot of things can happen in 18 years.

My question is not with the mpg that's being set, my question is with why take so long? Why wasn't this made available (and affordable) YESTERDAY?

I have the same question but I also have a few answers. 2030 gives the oilies time to rack up some more of their record profits. A lot of good ideas don't get implemented if certain folk stand to lose their profiteering monies.

Remember the International Scout and Ramblers? Those vehicles ran and ran with few breakdowns(if maintained properly) and look what happened to them. The Big Three sent them to their deaths.

While Obama is working out the details of the Defense Bill, maybe he can get the car folks to get those mpg's up a little sooner! Oh yeah...it's an election year. SO--RRY!

Legislating technology...it worked out really well with Solandra and other 'green' companies that Obama made benficiaries of billions of taxpayer dollars...

...and I am the one who is supposed to be irrational?

Enid Hey Martha is ground zero for lefty kookdom! I just come her to see their train wreck...and maybe stoke the nuttery on occasion!

My uncle knows a guy who developed a carburetor for GM that gets 200 MPG. The oil companies bought it for millions because they did not want to see America lose its taste for oil. I know it's true, because my uncles friend told me that my uncle really does know a guy who worked for GM!

"I know it's true, because my uncles friend told me that my uncle really does know a guy who worked for GM!"

Well, if your uncle really does know a guy that worked for GM, then obviously that guy must have invented such a device! He just must have if he worked there!

Damn,boy. How many times did your Mamma drop you on your head when you was litttle?

quote:

Originally posted by podunk:
"I know it's true, because my uncles friend told me that my uncle really does know a guy who worked for GM!"

Well, if your uncle really does know a guy that worked for GM, then obviously that guy must have invented such a device! He just must have if he worked there!

Damn,boy. How many times did your Mamma drop you on your head when you was litttle?

Preach it, brother.

Just hope the new moderators take note of your boast that you are here to troll.

quote:

Originally posted by kenlori:
Legislating technology...it worked out really well with Solandra and other 'green' companies that Obama made benficiaries of billions of taxpayer dollars...

...and I am the one who is supposed to be irrational?

Enid Hey Martha is ground zero for lefty kookdom! I just come her to see their train wreck...and maybe stoke the nuttery on occasion!

If kenlori feels that Enid is a haven for "lefty kookdom", I'd REALLY hate to see what HIS version of right wing. Keep waving that flag, ken, but try not to look that little Made In China stamp on the bottom of it!

Speaking of liberals...they fought to get women the right to vote. They fought to get Civil Rights for Americans that previously had no recognized rights. They helped get Social Security for a lot of people in desperate poverty.

Wanna call me a liberal??? I'll take that label!

Back to your uncle's friends sisters cousins best friend's dog that once bit a guy that supposedly worked at GM story...

There have been MANY advancements(some that I read about in Popular Mechanics) that have been squashed by the power of the Big Three. Just to demonstrate their pre-Obama inflated egos, the Japanese were making more efficient cars and working on alternative fuels while GM was STILL making more Hummers. One of the crappiest, low mpg, poorly built versions of American car making that I've seen since the Vega. Hell, a lot of people don't even know that they could buy a Yukon and have the same chassis!

But, they have that bad-ass-America-is-coming-to-kill-her-enemies-look. with all the luxury options of a Cadilac, of course.

quote:

Originally posted by podunk:
But, they have that bad-ass-America-is-coming-to-kill-her-enemies-look. with all the luxury options of a Cadilac, of course.

ROFL

I mean, we must get our priorities straight!

ROFL