As CNN says, Energy's easiest fix: Use less
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- Posted June 30, 2008 in The Media and the Environment
Today in the news...
On NPR’s “All Things Considered” Audrey Chang praises California for moving ahead with global warming solutions while Washington drags its feet…In a Wall Street Journal Letter to the Editor, Joel Reynolds urges the Supreme Court to affirm previous court conclusions and protect marine life from irresponsible use of sonar during navy training… A cleverly named CNNMoney.com article highlights efficiency as “energy’s easiest fix”, and discusses the ups and downs of gas-saving-options with Deron Lovaas… In the Associated Press, Roland Hwang tries to explain why Detroit’s big 3 automakers were so slow to catch on to America’s desire for fuel efficiency, and in another Associated Press piece Sharon Buccino comments on a recent Court of Appeals ruling that revoked the “free pass to pollute” given to Oil and Gas companies by the EPA.
Deron Lovaas bats around figures with the Boston Globe in a discussion about the toll suburban living takes on the environment, and now, pocketbooks… The Canadian Press reports on NRDC’s anti-tar-sands ad campaign launched this week, quoting the full text of the ad, as well as Susan Casey-Lefkowitz on the international concerns about the environmental dangers of tar sands.
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Dan Troutman — Jun 30 2008 11:53 PM
I disagree. If oil were only an American commodity, using less would reduce demand and therefore the price. However, oil is a WORLD commodity and the developing Asian nations' economies are screaming for oil! Whatever Americans "save" is immediately shipped and consumed by CHINA and INDIA to fuel their booming economies.
Americans can give up all the gasoline they want but only a decrease in WORLDWIDE demand will reduce prices.
Deron Lovaas — Jul 1 2008 10:50 AM
It is indeed a huge global marketplace at about 80 million barrels consumed daily! But remember that the U.S. accounts for about a quarter of that consumption. This means that our consumption has a disproportionately large effect on prices (economists call it the "monopsony effect," a buyers version of the seller's monopoly power). As the big oil consumer on the block, making a strong national commitment to lowering our dependence would resonate through the marketplace and serve as a model for others.
More importantly, driving down the oil intensity of our economy would insulate us from price trends in the global fuels marketplace, to which as you point out we are presently shackled. And it's been an especially rough ride of late.
Dan Troutman — Jul 1 2008 11:19 AM
Deron:
While I agree with the long term concept of reducing America's dependence on oil, your idea that "lowering our dependence would resonate through the marketplace and serve as a model for others" assumes that the world is a friendly place, that America has no true competitors and demand isn't skyrocketing in the developing nations.
If there are 9 kids at the table and one of them decides to "lead by example" and not eat a slice of pie, what do you think the other 8 are going to do? (The word "sucker" comes to mind.) :)
Just because America manages to wean itself off of petroleum over the next several decades doesn't mean that all of the other developing nations will follow suit. Any reduction in price by Americans will be countered by a rapid increase in consumption by the rest of the world. If cheap oil is available to your country because America isn't using it, do you really think you won't use it "just because America isn't"??
Unfortunately I think that the only way that the world will wean itself off of oil is when demand far outstrips dwindling supply and it becomes too costly for ALL NATIONS.
Courtney Hamilton — Jul 1 2008 11:55 AM
Dan- you make a good point, there is no guarantee that if America leads by example everyone will follow.
But many will. Several large developing nations are waiting for the US to lead the way, and create an even playing field for those who conserve. (see: discussions at the climate talks in Bali)
The the cost of oil may go up or down, but no matter the outcome, efficiency is still the answer.
From a purely US-centric perspective: *even if* the cost of oil continues to soar, the country *least* addicted to oil will be the best off.
Conservation may not seem exciting and new, but it is the best solution, the best technology, and we can start instituting it now.