“Either you love her or hate her”( truer words were never spoken) states India Today Editor-in-Chief Aroon Purie, after introducing Sarah Palin as she gave a keynote address to the India Today Conclave on the importance of drilling and oil’s potential. Oil’s potential? Isn’t that an oxymoron like Palin’s intelligence? Sarah Palin, of course, as we cannot consign to oblivion, coined the phrase “Drill Baby Drill” in 2008. She further stated “It’s a false Utopian fairy tale that you don't need to drill for energy needs” continuing “The present green technologies are not mature enough and Alaska's abundant oil and gas reserves would serve as the bridge to the future”. Our green technologies are not nearly advanced and efficient as they could be, that’s true. However, that does not diminish the importance or negate the fact our country has to unite in this green energy endeavor and not resort to the assumption our only salvation is to dig up the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. All the while, Aroon Purie was “Poking fun at Palin’s creative vocabulary” and her polarizing effect in the United States; that’s putting it mildly. Creative was a nice way of saying low country beauty pageant twang. Sarah Palin states that “There is no future in green energy and it does not create a boost to an economy.” Did I read that correctly? It’s like the Northern lights are on in Palin’s head, but no one’s home…hence the oxymoron. Palin further stated “green jobs have eliminated more jobs than it has created.” Don’t go there. I think we’ve seen recently how job creation is the last priority amongst the Republicans agendas. Let’s review some statistics on green jobs.
First, what is a green job? According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics; Green jobs are either: Jobs in businesses that produce goods or provide services that benefit the environment or conserve natural resources or Jobs in which workers’ duties involve making their establishment’s production processes more environmentally friendly or use fewer natural resources. Examining different sectors of the job market, these are the projected growth statistics: Advanced Biofuels: 29,000 new jobs by 2012; 190,000 jobs by 2022. Energy efficient infrastructure: 280,000 jobs, nearly half of which would be created in the next 12 months. Solar energy: 110,000 new jobs at the end of 2010 in the U.S., plus solar job growth of 100% in Canada. Wind energy: 185,000 new jobs in the next 12 months. Overall 37 million renewable energy jobs by the year 2030, which would be 17% of all U.S. employment! Slap me in the face! With an Alaskan crab. What a fairytale utopia, kind of like Palin seeing herself as Commander-in-Chief. The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 has allowed funding of $11 billion for a smart grid, $2.3 billion for advanced battery technology, $6.3 billion to states and local governments for greater energy efficiency, and also guarantees $60 billion in loans for renewable energy power generation and electric transmission projects, plus $2.5 billion for energy research. There is a significant difference between spending and investing. Return for one. One aspect of the United States that has been tried and true; we have always built our way up and out of depressions with an unwavering spirit; build baby build. You have to spend money to make money. One out of every ten dollars of the GDP is related to transportation activity. Needless to say, that is the true testament to patriotism, to make American the the best by investing in it, we have not invested in transportation or infrastructure since Eisenhower built the highway systems.
Let’s look at some oil facts: The U.S. consumes a quarter of the world’s oil supply while holding a mere 3% of global oil reserves. We cannot drill our way out of our energy problems, Mrs. Palin, in the same sense the definition of insanity is to do something over and over and expect different results. Currently, the U.S. imports over 60% of its oil. In 1972, the U.S. spent $4 billion on oil imports, an amount that equaled 1.2% of our defense budget. In 2006 it cost $260 billion, 2008-over $600 billion. We are paying foreign governments-including those that want to kill us infidels and kill their own for dancing with small rocks-more than we pay for our own defense. The 30 year old plus debate in whether or not to drill in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) has been an ongoing political controversy. The Refuge and its undiscovered estimates are categorized as PROSPECTIVE resources and therefore, not proved. The Dept. of Energy reports “Consequently, there is considerable uncertainty regarding both the size and quality of the oil resources that exist. Thus, the potential ultimate oil recovery and potential yearly production are highly uncertain”. ANWR oil production is not projected to have a large impact on world oil prices. There’s a surprise."Assuming that world oil markets continue to work as they do today, the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) could neutralize any potential price impact of ANWR oil production by reducing its oil exports by an equal amount”. Many scientists have expressed concern about the world's remaining oil reserves; that the end of oil is coming sooner than governments and oil companies are prepared to admit. "Recent activity in the National petroleum reserve in Alaska, including 3-D seismic surveys, federal lease sales administered by the Bureau of Land Management and drilling of more than 30 exploration wells in the area provides geological information that is more indicative of gas than oil," the geological survey said. Much of the debate over whether to drill in the 1002 area of ANWR rests on the amount of economically recoverable oil, as it relates to world oil markets. Taking into account the potential harm oil exploration might have upon the natural wildlife, in particular the calving ground of the caribou. Not to mention the ecological impact. Of course, Palin shoots caribou for political gain and fun; this is a woman who shot wolves and bears from a helicopter and called it hunting, so this would not likely invoke an ounce of compassion or concern from our ice princess.
There is a lot of money at stake, very heavy investments and interests, which is indicative of the ongoing problem and endurance of it. I know I’ve been taught there is nothing that stabilizes and grows a portfolio like blue chips. Long ago, I was part owner of Exxon Mobil stock. I’m not talking Gordon Gekko ownership; I’m talking the size of a couple of atoms that make up a crumb of the pie. The dividends felt like my birthday, but I was cognizant it bequeathed my soul to the devil; money is the root of all evil and needless to say I nullified the arrangement with the man in the red body suit holding a pitchfork. We as a people cannot lose consciousness of the gargantuan disasters which are the denouement of our dependence on the black gold, the Texas Tea, the bubbling crude… HERE is a list of all of the oil disasters, in the event a refresher course is needed. The most recent catastrophe, of course, is the Deep Water Horizon in the Gulf of Mexico. This had a dead zone to begin with. The impact on the earth is massive, extensive and often irrevocable. Most birds affected by an oil spill die unless there is human intervention. Marine mammals exposed to oil spills are affected in similar ways as seabirds. Oil coats the fur of Sea otters and seals, reducing its insulation abilities and leading to body temperature fluctuations and hypothermia. Ingestion of the oil causes dehydration and impaired digestions. Because oil floats on top of water, less sunlight penetrates into the water, limiting the photosynthesis of marine plants and phytoplankton. This, as well as decreasing the fauna populations, affects the food chain in the ecosystem. There are three kinds of oil-consuming bacteria. Sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB) and acid-producing bacteria are anaerobic, while general aerobic bacteria (GAB) are aerobic. These bacteria occur naturally and will act to remove oil from an ecosystem, and their biomass will tend to replace other populations in the food chain. Affecting the food chain has impacts on a global level. In these disasters bodies of water, wetlands and entire environments are destroyed. It takes decades, if ever they recover combined with the fact there are always numerous oil spills and accidents happening at the same time. Energy and the economy are directly connected. Climate change affects grocery prices. This, I thought was common knowledge. HERE is a study from Perdue University on the impact of energy, climate and the economy. It can’t be assumed these are problems we are going to have to solve in the future, that they are problems that will not occur until the future. They are happening now. We have to understand and be aware of the problems in order to change them. We don’t need more research, we don’t need debates; we need bipartisan effort, my aforementioned definition of patriotism and more respect for the earth.
When Americans put their thick heads together, we have astounding accomplishments; with the age old adage if we could put a man on the moon we can do anything. I’ve seen the Republicans resort to some straw grasping, idiotic and endangering measures, but by far the worst to me is their stance that climate change is a myth and drilling for oil is our only redemption and option. Besides the fact 51% believe the president was born in Kenya. I undoubtedly question what the limit would have to be, what line has to be crossed before supporters leave the Republican Party. Evidently, Sarah Palin was not enough. It’s not as if I’ve never held more fiscal conservative views, but there came a time when I had to say to myself I cannot be a part of this GOP insane asylum. Sarah Palin is the political equivalent of Glenn Close in Fatal Attraction. One night with her and Palin's broken into our house and is boiling our bunnies. Besides realizing Sarah Palin is not going away anytime soon and she was allowed to go speak to other countries, you realize how prophetic Carter was when he installed the solar panels on the white house and with no surprise and complete predictably Reagan took them down. The panels had been dismantled to fix the roof underneath. Dale A. Petroskey, a White House spokesman, said ''Putting them back up would be very unwise, based on cost.'' …What!?!? At the time, Reagan said, “That’s enough of that!” when he ordered their removal. The act certainly was symbolic. In 1991, Unity College, an environmentally centered college in Maine acquired the panels and later installed them on their cafeteria. The Reagan administration cut funding for renewable energy research and public renewable energy tax credits by 90%. His election campaign was strongly backed by the US oil and energy industry. What would have transpired as far as Americans attitude towards sustainable and green energy if Reagan didn’t remove them? Removing the panels was symbolic of the attitude, that this is America, I will consume as much as I like no matter the consequence because we have endless resources that God will replenish. It’s an attitude that Sarah Palin is perpetuating by stating green energy is a fantasy and it stifles the job market. It is THAT attitude that is unsustainable. Palin and a number of Republicans believe oil drilling and the continuation of our dependence on it, is somehow the light at the end of the tunnel, except it’s more like a black hole and we are at the event horizon.
(Please see my posts; Sarah Palin Gives Me Hypothermia and Climate Initiative Cooperation...or Rather Lack Thereof, for more of my perspective of the Former Governor and how the members of her brood are unconcerned with issues plaguing the planet and the overall health of it, as well as its inhabitants.)
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