Cohousing-L Mailing List: Re: Energy demand is the problem - Big Oil

[Norman Gauss (normangauss]

We already have an alternative way to generate energy, nuclear power plants.
But, as we have learned, there is a downside to that technology.

New technologies that Big Oil is using include greater ability to drill
deeper and farther out into the water.  The humongous expense of getting the
oil out of these hard-to-reach places is the end result of Big Oil trying
harder and harder to find and extract more oil.  When this type of activity
declines (it will because it is mining, and all mines eventually decline),
gasoline will begin to skyrocket in price.  Enjoy the cheap gasoline now
because the forecast is for a leveling off and decline of oil supply in the
years ahead.

Do you believe that there is a conspiracy to rip us off?

Norm Gauss

-----Original Message-----
From: Karen Carlson [mailto:kcarlson2 [at] wisc.edu] 
Sent: Friday, July 15, 2011 11:11 AM
To: Cohousing-L
Subject: Re: [C-L]_ Energy demand is the problem


Super huge profits and super huge subsidies obviously haven't motivated Big
Oil to invest in new technologies --unless it's still another carbon-based
form (e.g. fracking).  If non-carbon based, sustainable technologies were on
the same playing field as Big Oil, they could jointly produce far more
energy then we've been lead to believe.  How is it that some cities and
countries of Europe are already well down the path of becoming independent
of carbon-based fuels?

Given the unending handouts to Big Oil, how can other forms of energy
compete? To level the playing field, we should consider taxing carbon-based
fuel as it comes out of the ground or crosses the boarder and return all the
tax money to citizens.  This plan (carbon fee &
dividend) would off set the additional cost of fuels to poorer citizens and
it would build political will to develop new technologies.  It would also
satisfy the politicians who have signed a "no new taxes" pledge.

Karen Carlson
Arboretum Cohousing Community
Madison WI

On 7/15/11 12:02 PM, Norman Gauss wrote:
> Has it ever occurred to the critics of Big Oil that the profits made 
> by Big Oil may benefit you and me because they can be used for 
> exploration and development of new technologies so that we can have more
cheap gasoline?
> With lower profits, energy companies are less able to invest in new 
> technologies and to explore for new fossil fuel deposits.
>
>
>
> Norm Gauss
>
>
>
>
> _________________________________________________________________
> Cohousing-L mailing list -- Unsubscribe, archives and other info at:
> http://www.cohousing.org/cohousing-L/
>
>

_________________________________________________________________
Cohousing-L mailing list -- Unsubscribe, archives and other info at: 
http://www.cohousing.org/cohousing-L/