Oil

Greetings everyone. I have a habit of checking Yahoo.com compulsively (sp?) for the news headlines, I read this article today:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20051104/ap_on_go_co/arctic_refuge

So we're pretty much going to drill for oil in Alaska. Environmental issues like this are usually pretty divisive and telling as to a person's political alliance. I personally don't claim either major party in case you were wondering. The main reason is because i'm not knowledgable enough about various issues and where the democrats or republicans stand but I think I have a pretty good idea. I doubt i'll ever be one or the other. Also, I think it's important that people think for themselves and not just be a republican because thats what mommy and daddy are.

That being said, it bothers me a little that we're going to rip up all that land in Alaska just for a drop in the bucket. Not because I neccessarily am heart broken about Caribu that might be displaced even though that is a little sad, but because this to me represents a disturbing principal. Oil is a finite resource. Fossil fuels are depleating, they're going to run dry. To me drilling for some on our own soil will have minimum long term impact, and ZERO short term impact. The solution needs to be pumping money into innovating technology that focuses on renewable resources, not tromping around every national forest until we've sucked our country dry of "the black gold". Drilling won't effect gas prices for at least a decade, and even then it might increase our domestic production by like, 4%.

The problem is the ridiculous amount of money that the oil/auto industry has in politics. Also, the fact that none of us (myself DEFINATELY included) could function without our cars. Now, my Malibu rocks almost 30mpg but I hope that hybrids will keep improving to get those miles-per-gallon numbers up.

Call me a tree hugger but I think drilling for oil in the Alaskan refuge is an irresponsible use of government resources, but even worse a step in the wrong direction for humans to be good stewards of God's creation. We want lower gas prices NOW and Alaskan oil isn't going to make that happen. Speaking of, I filled up this morning.