It's been broached many times since the beginning of the Deepwater disaster - how much culpability should we, the oil-drenched public, assume? I think that the answer is...some, but that the question misses the point. Why is any discussion of climate change coupled with a discussion of what kind of cars we should be driving? Most of our time is spent working in buildings with substantial energy costs, then we retreat to what are often energy-hog homes. The very practice of coal mining is an ecological disaster - not to mention the CO2 production - but makes for less compelling TV because nothing's on fire.
Standards for energy-efficient construction are improving for commercial buildings, meanwhile most of our homes are burning through coal using either old, inefficient appliances or newer, inefficient appliances chosen by a builder because they're the cheapest available.
Can we all stand to use less oil? Sure! But it's only a piece of a much bigger picture. I just don't see this particular catastrophe as the 'tipping point' that leads to real change, even if it does lead to more hybrids and EVs on our roads. Oil is a problem, sure - it's simply a smaller part of the overall problem than most people think.
2 comments:
Couldn't agree more. SUVs should have never been the target. Electricity generation is where it's at.
diet especially, and food sourcing is a massive consumer, as well. Thast's the reason I went (mostly) vegitarian. I do think SUV's are fair targets, but with fair usage clauses, like when you have a family. If you use an SUV as a single commuter, than yes it is wasteful overkill, but it is the lifestyle changes that apply to everyone that will make the biggest deifferences. my long-ass showers in the moring = electricity & water & waste treatment, home energy eficiency as rightly pointed out could reaaaallly by improved, I leave tons of shit plugged in and sapping the network when not in use (computer, tv, phone charger wifi, speakers... ... ...)
Post a Comment