Hey Folks,
We all hear about how barren and ugly the coastal plain of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge is. The coastal plain is a desolate wasteland, we’re told. Well, I don’t agree with that. I think it’s a beautiful place, and well worth our respect. Here is a field of Alaska Cotton Grass in full bloom along the coastal plain, east of the Canning River, in Section 1002, the section proposed to be opened for oil drilling. Trust me – the photos you see posted across websites and emails doing the rounds that suggest the place is ‘ugly’ are simply bad photos.
But the issue shouldn’t simply come down to aesthetic beauty – that’s in the eye of the beholder, as we all know, and also somewhat irrelevant. What is relevant is learning to once again respect the earth we live upon – and setting aside areas like the Refuge, protected from the ravages of oil and gas development and other extractive processes is, IMO, a good idea. In fact, I’d say it’s a critical one.
I’m heading out for a trip to Wrangell-St. Elias National Park, and won’t be back for a week, but will pre-post a few entries scheduled to appear over the coming week.
Cheers
Carl
I respect the earth, too, Carl. But when it comes down to paying 5$ a gallon for gas, something has to be done. I don’t know how much difference it will make. But I’m for it. The bears can walk on the pipeline just like they do in the further arctic sites .Or just jump over them. The Caribou can definately jump over them. I know we need to tax the big oil companies, and that’s probably a big part of the problem. But the fact is WE AREN”T!! Because we have a lazy ,stupid, do nothing congress. Nancy Pelosi is about as airheaded as they come. What’s your solution? I meant what I said in my earlier post. I hope they bomb Iranian nuclear sites, because their plan is for us to leave Iraq so they can take over . Their ultimate goals are Israel & the U.S. You can’t turn a blind eye to what’s going on over there in the Middle East. If we do, maybe the whole earth & us with it will be destroyed. We have to use some of our own natural resources, whether we like it or not. I don’t like seeing the land razed. But what else can we do? To break the stronghold of Middle Eastern oil RIGHT NOW? When haji Iranian crazy dude takes over Iraq, he will close the Strait of Hormuz & cut off all supply to the west. Why do you think they want us to leave so fast? Give me a better solution.
Hey Beth
Why would you say you’re for opening the refuge to drilling immediately after you state you don’t know how much difference such a policy would make on your gasoline prices? You’ve asked for solutions and acknowledged you have no idea what difference this action might incur. you’ve also asked for solutions and said “Nancy Pelosi is about as airheaded as they come” .. which may or may not be true, but it’s hardly any kind of solution to anything.
Before I get some time to address the other comments you’ve made here, do some research: how much oil does the US buy from Iran? How What price difference will a relative drop in the bucket of oil supply make on the fungible global oil market? How much of the Alaskan north slope is currently open for oil drilling? How much of the available land is actually being drilled?
Cheers
Carl
Well Carl, you’re right about it being a drop in the bucket. I have to agree with that. But much of our oil comes frome Saudi Arabia, Canada, Venezuela, & Iran. All I know is that we have to come up with alternative fuels or technology of our own so we don’t have to depend on rogue countries. Canada has a lot of oil reserves, but I just think we need to end our dependence on oil, period. ASAP!
Hey Beth
Can you tell me how much of our oil comes from Venezuela, Iran and Saudi Arabia? How about how much of our consumer goods come from ‘rogue countries’ (whatever that might be), such as China? Or our customer service is outsourced to Pakistan or India?
If we want to end our dependence on oil, drilling for more oil in the Arctic Refuge seems to be the last thing we should do, no?
Cheers
Carl
Like I answered a few posts up, I agree with you. I didn’t realize it would take ten years to go online. I am just frustrated because of all kinds of bad decisions the Government has made. All the outsourcing is costing this country it’s ONCE healthy economy. They just caught one of their HB1 Visa technology persons giving our military secrets to China. Yet my brother, who is an accomplished and published phycisist, has to hunt for work for months. It’s crazy! We need jobs here for Americans. And we need to end our dependence on oil. And we need to stop the clear-cutting. As to your question about how much oil do we get from different countries, Saudi Arabia & Canada are the leaders. I don’t consider China a “rogue ” country. But I do consider Iran a rogue country. Their Leadership, anyway. But China is taking advantage of us, too. With sub-standard goods at times, and the trade policy is one-sided: China! I like talking to you about this because you have some really good knowledge & views. And I can vent without being mad!LOL!
Hey Beth
What’s a ‘rogue country’? Isn’t that simply a matter of perspective? I’m sure many folks across the globe, far better informed and educated than I, might suggest the US is a ‘rogue country’, no?
Outside of Saudi Arabia, we don’t get too much oil from the middle east – so the argument about stepping away from Middle Eastern oil is somewhat disingenuous, as I’ve pointed out elsewhere on this blog.
China isn’t ‘taking advantage’ of us, any more than American consumers and transnational corporations ‘take advantage’ of Chinese working conditions. What goes around tends to come around, soon enough.
Cheers
Carl
I have to disagree about our global trade policy. It needs to be fixed and fair. It’s really not Americas fault if the chinese work in sweatshops. That’s because of their human rights policies. America’s not that way. When is the last time you saw something substantial made in the USA? It’s been about 5 years or more for me. At least now I can buy Mountain Goods made here. Do you really think it’s a good idea to make other countries wealthier than us? We as a nation won’t let that happen.
Hey Carl, Yes, we do get most of our oil from Saudi Arabia & Canada. But the oil we do get from Venezeula is still a little bit important at this point. But they say with some of the other offshore drilling sites already primed to go, It’ll be online in a year. And we can stop sending money to countries that hate us and everything we stand for. FREEDOM.