vc318

I'm sure you guys have heard about the growing oil debate that is going on in regards to lifting the ban on drilling oil off the U.S. shoreline. There has been great debate whether this decision will be a damaging effect to the environment and so forth.

So what are your thoughts on this? Is this the absolute final answer to rectifying the growing gas prices in the United States?

Also, I would love to hear from our postesr from other places around the world and if you guys are facing this issue as well and to what severity.

Jerry D

I have mixed feelings about this, because I do have concerns about the harm to marine life and the environment if we permit off shore drilling, but I also feel that we have to stop our dependence on foreign oil from an area of the world that's extremely unstable.

At the same time, though, I think this country should invest in and commit to research on alternate fuel sources, so we can eventually stop being completely dependent on petroleum products.

vc318

I feel that we should look into other methods before absolutely going with this plan. For example, we have oil wells available on land that we could easily take from first before we go ahead with building any refineries.

AshlynDenae

I freely admit that i'm not the most educated person on this subject, but I personally think we should explore other options.

It's not going to be the best short-term, or long-term solution, and that makes me think that exploring other options that WONT harm the environment is a better choice.

Of course I don't like the high gas prices, but also -- as an environmentalist -- I can't help but wonder if these prices are actually better for healing America's consumption addiction. If these gas prices continue, i'm guessing they'll do more to help the environment than a million Al Gores.

sunnykerr

I agree. Exploring other options does no harm to the environment.

More to the point, oil (whether theirs or ours) is a finite resource. We're gonna run out eventually, and I say we should prepare ourselves. Not to mention that, in our attempts to such every little drop out of the earth, who knows what kind of mess we'll be creating for ourselves.

AshlynDenae

Exactly! It only helps to create a long-term problem, while finding a "solution" that doesn't work realistically in the near future. I'm scared that it'll end up being a win for Bush/McCain right now. The idea of more oil is SO politically viable to the casual news watcher.

iheartjustinchambers

We as an American society are to dependant on oil.

sm_love_dc

I live in oil country in Canada. We have oil sands that destroy the land for ever. They are basically big holes dug out the ground. The thought of these holes makes me sick. But I also know that this is what drives my economy. Its a catch 22. I feel though I am against it its ok as long as I do not listen to any news about it (I can pretend it is not happening). A trait that humans use on many issues. As for off shore I am not sure how I feel. I am scared that if there is an earthquake in one of these places the ocean would be destoyed. I do not know if the consequences out way the postives enough for society at large to take this issue as serious as it should.

vc318

It's true. I think until now the oil issue never mattered because the price was low and we were able to deal with it. We as Americans are going to have to wake up and change our ways, though. When I think how in other places, riding your bike, walking to work, or driving fuel efficient cars is an everyday common thing, why can't we get it right here? We need to change our habits and no amount of drilling is going to improve the gas situation.

Wild Pikachu

I say thumbs-down to drilling. It doesn't matter how much oil is offshore, or under Alaska, because in the long run it wouldn't change anything. What difference does it make if there's 20 or 30 or 40 years worth of oil down there? Everyone knows what would happen if we drilled 10,000 wells and pumped it all out: people would sit back and relax, forget about conservation, forget about improving milage, forget about alternatives to fossil fuels, forget all about "oil independence"...and then 20 or 30 or 40 years from now we would be right back where we are now.

vc318

Apparently there is going to be a meeting in Saudi Arabia today (June 22nd) to discuss the high oil prices:

Oil Producers Meet, Though Impact in Doubt - FOXBusiness.com

I agree with the article - there won't be an immediate solution to our gas problem. The increase that the Saudis are promising won't drive down gas prices a great deal but I guess we'll take whatever we can get. Hmm, maybe when we stop relying on others for oil, we won't have to face these pressures of other countries - sorry to say it - jerking us around with these outrageous prices. Yes, our issue is our mass consumption but there are other things going on than just this problem.

Well, my grandfather sent me an email of gas stations do not import Middle Eastern oil:

Sunoco.................0 barrels
Conoco.................0 barrels
Sinclair.................0 barrels
BP/Phillips.............0 barrels ( I hear they may start buying from them though)
Hess....................0 barrels
ARC0...................0 barrels

I'm going to start filling up at these places instead.

mh67511

I don't think it has to be an all or none approach. I'm tired of this partisanship, why can't there be a balance?? We should drill for oil *AND* aggresively look into alternative energy! The reality is we will be using oil to heat our homes and create gasoline to run our cars for years and years. We use oil to make plastics and other products and it has a significant impact on our economy. But oil has a limited sipply, so we do need to be looking into wind, solar, hydro, and nuclear power, as well as vehicles that run on alternative fuels.

But I just can't imagine why during a time when our economy is struggling and unemployment is high we would not take advantage of a highly valued natural resource we have! This won't affect gas prices in the short term (although actually it could, if it causes speculators to bid down the price of oil), but will provide jobs and help our economy grow. As long they have strict environmental requirements and ensure states benefit from this, then I don't have a problem with it.

Not to mention, alternative energy doesn't come without controversy; I read about an offshore wind farm proposed by Nantucket and of course it had controversy.

Cape Wind - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Also found this interesting piece on Norway and their offshore oil drilling. It's kind of long, so here is a sample:

Anyways it goes on, but I found it very interesting. I don't particulalrly like Newt Gingrich, but I appreciate his information and agree that we need to have a "balanced" approach.

Report From Norway: Why They Don't Have an Energy Crisis and We Do - HUMAN EVENTS

AshlynDenae

^^

I see what you're saying, and there is no doubt that the economy is crumbling and this would supply jobs. However, I honestly think we'd be drilling ourselves into an even bigger hole if we did this now.

Other than the obvious environmental concerns (and they are massive), we have to consider the fact that change will have to happen eventually. Eventually Americans are going to have to modify their behaviors. We are destroying the planet and eating up our resources.

I hate to say it, but this gas crisis helps. On the most massive level, Americans think with our pocketbooks. I know I do! Although I personally feel motivated to change my behaviors simply on principle, I know that I drive a lot less now with gas as it is.

So, call me evil, but I think that more gas is a bad thing. We're being weaned off of it, we're realizing we have to change certain behaviors. It's painful right now, but we'll be glad this happened in the long run.

sunnykerr

How is the discussion of whether we ought to drill or not a partisan issue? I don't understand. I mean, sure people have strong opinions. But I thought partisanship was an American political concept relating to parties. Like, Democrats pick a side and Republicans pick another side (or, obviously, vice versa) and it becomes a partisan issue.

I mean, for one thing, the environment isn't a partisan issue, is it?

Secondly, how can an international discussion of whether drilling is good or not a partisan issue? Some of us, myself for instance, have no way of having an association with either Democrats or Republicans. So there's no way that it can be about following party lines.

It's not that this isn't a sound, logical plan. It's that drilling already does so much damage to the environment. It's a necessary evil, I get it. But why would we want to do it any more than absolutely necessary?

vc318

On the news today, they mentioned that the oil is at $135 a barrel and that the price is attributed to three factors: large consumption, the weak dollar, and investors. They said that the consumption alone would bring the cost of a barrel of oil to $75. The rest of it is due to the other two factors I mentioned. In my opinion, if we're looking for an immediate answer to the gas problem the oil drilling isn't going to do that right away anyway. In the end, if this was to pass the winners would be the investors and the oil tycoons as usual. Sure people are upset and stressed out about the gas prices but don't be fooled that this drilling thing is going to make things all better. We (Americans) are going to have to learn to bring our consumption on fuel down. Our attitudes on that have to change first.