The Kids Stole My Brain Cells

It is being realistic and logical to realize that the United States and several other countries put most of their energy dependencies into one source-basket.

There are a number of alternative energy sources:  Coal, Natural Gas, Hydrogen, Oil Shale, TarOil Sands, Methane Hydrate, Nuclear Power, Solar Power, Wind Power, Geothermal Power, Hydroelectric Power, Biomass Fuels, Waste to Energy. 

It will take a combinationof energy sources to keep our civilization going.

Each has pros and cons.  Each has an inherent risk, and cost/benefit/ROI.

Therefore, an over-reliance in any one area is illogical and unrealistic.

That stated, and that I am a citizen of the United States, it would be folly to ignore that we have put to many of our eggs in the petroleum-basket.  However, we must  avoid the pitfalls of environmental-extremism.  This creates a dangerous and illogical stance that all eggs should be put in an "environmentally-neutralbasket."  Unforeseen disasters, ignored problems due to the refusal of alternative solutions, or greed, create a different mind set of "there is no other way" - or "my way or the highway."

Environmental and economical sustainability has to come with a fair amount of realism.  It has to come with a diversification that will not force us to rely on one or two energy sources.  And it cannot happen overnight.  

This country needs leaders who are not determined to enforce any certain agenda, of any one way.  We need a community of leaders who move towards, as aforementioned, a nation using a combination of energy sources to keep our civilization going. 

This includes energy sources of petroleum, coal, nuclear, solar, wind, etc. balanced with reducing risk to the environment.  For example, there was no need for the Deepwater Horizon catastrophe to occur.  For one, there were many locations that were much safer places to drill (the state of Louisiana approved drilling off shore at 500 feet, but BP was forced to drill at an unprecedented 5000 feet by the Federal Government and EPA).

This includes a system of checks and balances that is transparent enough to circumvent corruption.

This includes a market based set of solutions, with 'players' providing information to the consumers who can make informed choices.

This includes focus on products that are manufactured in United States to keep it economically sustainable with out reliance on a foreign country (this is already happening with the Wind Mill-Powered industry).

This is just my humble opinion, simplistically stated, and this is not meant to detail in-depth studies of all energy solutions.  It is a call-out, a desire per-se, that this administration, environmental groups, corporations, to take a breath and work towards a realistic solution ~ not an extreme reaction that will overcompensate and push us back over the edge into an economical nightmare.

One last bit of realism -

Here is a partial listing of products that are derived from Petroleum.

• air conditioners
• ammonia
• anesthetics
• antifreeze
• antihistamines
• antiseptics
• artificial limbs
• artificial turf
• asphalt
• aspirin
• awnings
• balloons
• ballpoint pens
• bandages
• basketballs
• bearing grease
• bicycle tires
• boats
• bottles
• bras
• bubble gum
• butane
• cameras
• candles
• car batteries
• car battery cases
• car bodies
• car enamel
• carpet
• cassette tapes
• cassettes
• caulking
• cd player
• cds
• chewing gum
• clothes
• clothesline
• cold cream
• combs
• combs/brushes
• computers
• contacts
• cortisone
• crayons
• cream
• curtains
• dashboards
• denture adhesive
• dentures
• deodorant
• detergents
• dice
• diesel
• dishes
• dishwasher
• dishwashing liquid
• dresses
• drinking cups
• dryers
• dyes
• electric blankets
• electrician's tape
• enamel
• epoxy
• eyeglasses
• fan belts
• faucet washers
• fertilizers
• fishing boots
• fishing lures
• fishing rods
• floor wax
• folding doors
• food preservatives
• football cleats
• football helmets
• footballs
• gasoline
• glues
• glycerin
• golf bags
• golf balls
  
• guitar strings
• hair
• hair coloring
• hair curlers
• hand lotion
• hearing aids
• heart valves
• heating oil
• house paint
• ice chests
• ice cube trays
• ink
• insect repellent
• insecticides
• insulation
• jet fuel
• life jackets
• linings
• linoleum
• lip balm
• lipstick
• loudspeakers
• luggage
• medicines
• model cars
• mops
• motor oil
• motorcycle helmet
• movie film
• nail polish
• nylon rope
• oil filters
• paddles
• paint
• paint brushes
• paint rollers
• paints
• panty hose
• parachutes
• paraffin
• pens
• percolators
• perfumes
• petroleum jelly
• pillows
• plastic chairs
• plastic cups
• plastic forks
• plastic wood
• plastic wrap
• plastics
• plywood adhesives
• purses
• putty
• refrigerant
• refrigerators
• roller skates
• roller-skate wheels
• roofing
• roofing paper
• rubber bands
• rubber boots
• rubber cement
• rubbing alcohol
• running shoes
• saccharine
• safety glasses
• seals
• shag rugs
• shampoo
• shaving cream
• shirts (non-cotton)
• shoe polish
• shoes
• shower curtains
• skis
• slacks
• soap
• soft contact lenses
• solvents
• speakers
• sports car bodies
• stereos
• sun glasses
• surf boards
• sweaters
• synthetic rubber
• table tennis balls
• tape recorders
• telephones
• tennis rackets
• tents
• thermos
• tights
• tires
• toilet seats
• toners
• tool boxes
• tool racks
• toothbrushes
• toothpaste
• transparencies
• transparent tape
• trash bags
• tv cabinets
• typewriter/computer ribbons
• umbrellas
• upholstery
• vaporizers
• vitamin capsules
• volleyballs
• water pipes
• water skis
• wax
• wax paper
• wheels
• yarn