Comments on: Will Congress ban oil drilling off the Sonoma coast?

By: Skippy

Skippy — Tue, 07 Dec 2010 22:57:56 +0000

Right on.
The magical unicorn pixie-dust energy we have been promised since the 1970′s has failed to materialize.
Why? Simple.
It doesn’t exist.
If wind, solar, tides, biomass, waves, hamsters and hand-holding were viable and profitable, the energy(oil)co’s. would be selling us electricity produced by those means.
Let’s stop lying about energy.
Wishing our way to an oil-free world will never happen; nor should it. Billions invested by oil co’s. have been for naught; and they actually know something about energy.
Oil co’s. want to sell energy, not oil.
If the magical new-age peacelovedove pipedream energy sources were real, we would be using them to replace oil.
They aren’t; and we won’t.
Either invent an economically realistic energy source that could replace oil, or stop interfering with the rest of us who want to live our lives warm, well lit and mobile.
You know, like Americans. The envy of the world.

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By: Greg Karraker

Greg Karraker — Sun, 05 Dec 2010 04:56:42 +0000

@Richard — You’re absolutely right. There are other ways to generate electricity than oil. In France, the vast majority of electricity comes from those icky nuclear plants that green moonies keep blocking.

In the Northeast, at least 45% of all electricity comes from coal.

I’m all for finding new ways to pull energy out of thin air, but until a more efficient technology than wind, wave, or solar emerges, you’re stuck with the same old trinity of oil, coal, and nuclear.

If the Federal Government didn’t mandate drilling a mile deep just to keep those unsightly rigs a polite distance offshore, we could have plentiful oil here instead of buying it from our enemies. If they’d issue a permit for our first nuclear plant in 30 years, that would help. If POTUS would stop declaring war on the coal industry, that would also help.

Just something to think of while you’re driving your Prius with its load of toxic batteries down 101 and dreaming of a SMART train powered by geysergush.

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By: Joyce Rodrigues Garcia

Joyce Rodrigues Garcia — Sun, 05 Dec 2010 00:05:54 +0000

While people are struggling to keep their homes, seeking employment, worried about our National Debt, Lynn Woolsey, lobbyist and environmental groups are hell bent on making us dependent on foreign countries while this is obviously a power grab over land the Government is going to regulate and control. They want bicycle paths and bridges and really Un-SMART trains, all to get us to live a lifestyle they feel will create peace and harmony?

Prioritize much? What about placing human’s before some fish, rodent, tree or insects? Why all the regulations that are job killers?

By the way, I can travel town to town without seeing a single bicyclist on the road….why is there such a need for special roads and bridges that will be used by a select few?

People before “Pet Projects” then go hug a tree!

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By: RICHARD CANINI

RICHARD CANINI — Sat, 04 Dec 2010 19:03:02 +0000

It is possible to move heavy loads, long distances fast with out using oil. Europe and China are doing it with electric trains. The northeastern US, Boston to DC, has electric passenger train service.

Electricity can be generated without using oil.

It would be good if the electricity generated by our near by geysers would be used to power SMART.

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By: NOTUTOO

NOTUTOO — Sat, 04 Dec 2010 03:18:45 +0000

I wish the bicycle advocates would just take a breath. I think they see us as China was 10 to 15 years ago when there was bicycle taffic jams. It ain’t going to happen cyclists…Bicycles are great for weekend touring and exercise, but the vast majority of people can not use them for commuting, shopping, getting Jr to school and soccer. I know, I know, red thumbs, but bicycles are already losing ground. In 2009 USA retailer were left with 100,000 bicycles that didn’t sell. http://www.bicycleretailer.com/downloads/2010_Stats_Issue.pdf

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By: Really Big Fish

Really Big Fish — Sat, 04 Dec 2010 00:30:53 +0000

Drill baby drill.

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By: Frank

Frank — Fri, 03 Dec 2010 22:30:24 +0000

• Biofuels: More harm than good
A pair of studies published in the journal Science state that biofuels do far more harm than good by increasing emissions of carbon dioxide and contributing to global warming.

Biofuels are created from commodities such as corn, soybeans, sugarcane and palm oil.

Joe Fargionine of the Nature Conservancy, a lead scientist in one study, stated, “All the biofuels we use now cause habitat destruction, either directly or indirectly. Global agriculture is already producing food for six billion people. Producing food-based biofuel, too, will require that still more land be converted to agriculture.”

Use of biofuels as an alternative to fossil fuels (oil and coal) has been encouraged or mandated by several states, the federal government, and across Europe.

The studies concluded that converting lands to grow biofuel commodities releases between 17 and 420 times more carbon than the annual savings from replacing fossil fuels depending on the crop chosen.

“This research examines the conversion of land for biofuels and asks the question, ‘Is it worth it?’ Does the carbon you lose by converting forests, grasslands and peat lands outweigh the carbon you ‘save’ by using biofuels instead of fossil fuels? And surprisingly the answer is ‘no’,” stated Fargionine.

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By: Frank

Frank — Fri, 03 Dec 2010 22:18:24 +0000

I wonder if these people have even a bit of a clue, how much oil is needed to build a elec car, solar panal or a windmill

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By: cyclist

cyclist — Fri, 03 Dec 2010 21:37:51 +0000

@Wellington . You can use corn or soy bean oil on your rig. Have we not learn anything from BP in the Gulf of Mexico. Though I am talking about the single driver and their big gas guzzler.

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By: Graeme Wellington

Graeme Wellington — Fri, 03 Dec 2010 18:14:28 +0000

When your bike can haul a tractor trailer of food over the Sierra Nevadas, I’ll support oil drilling bans. Same with solar or wind power. Let’s see the wind powered tractor trailers or solar powered long haul rigs. Who are we kidding?

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By: cyclist

cyclist — Fri, 03 Dec 2010 17:42:56 +0000

Reduce the use of oil. Ride your bike!

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