According to a recent CNN Opinion Poll, 74% of Americans are in favor of offshore drilling. While still split 49% to 44% on prioritizing the environment and the economy. In The Swamp, a Chicago Tribune Weblog, Matthew Hay Brown reports this survey is the latest one showing rising support for drilling, from consumers who are tired of rising gas prices.
The CNN/Opinion Research poll was conducted from June 26th - 29th and included more than 1,000 Americans.
All of us at GO Media wish a happy Independence Day to our US readers! Here’s our contribution to the celebration: a reminder that we’re still fighting for independence…
This was a big week for our Presidential candidates and energy policy, specifically domestic oil drilling. With the recent decision by a House Sub-committee to continue the ban on more offshore drilling, spirited discussion regarding domestic oil has sprung up everywhere. This week John McCain extended his support for offshore drilling, stating that he thinks the ban should be lifted however he also made the statement that he opposes any drilling of ANWR. Barack Obama opposes lifting the ban on offshore drilling and ANWR drilling.
As Americans, we have a lot to think about. The fact is we do have domestic oil that we are not extracting. Geologists report we have billions of barrels in both the Bakkan Shale and ANWR. Why is John McCain in favor of lifting the offshore drilling ban while at the same time opposed to ANWR drilling? Is it politically convenient? Is it a possible attempt to satisfy both sides of a debate? Why is Barack Obama opposed to all new domestic drilling? Despite the fact that offshore drilling is technologically at its best, we have other options in other areas.
Sure, it’s easy enough for one person to attempt energy self-sufficiency: put a solar panel on your roof, run your car on biodiesel, and you’re halfway there. But how easy is it for an entire town to become self-sufficient?
That’s the question that Reynolds, Indiana has been trying to answer for the past 3 years. In 2005, Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels declared the town to be BioTown, USA—a model of energy self-sufficiency for the state.
The town was chosen mainly because of its small size (pop. 547), excellent rail and road access, and proximity to organic waste (within 15 miles of more than 150,000 hogs). According to the BioTown website, the finished project will showcase efficient methods of converting biomass into energy, use bioenergy to fuel homes and businesses throughout the town, promote alternative energies across the United States, and show that agricultural energy is safe, reliable, and consistent.
These are certainly some lofty goals for such a tiny town, and progress on the project has been slow. In fact, external signs of energy independence in Reynolds have been few and far between. So where does the project stand now?
All across the US and the world news agencies are reporting, Israel has chosen a national bird. In honor of their 60th anniversary as a country, they concluded a nationwide campaign to appoint a national bird. Some news articles are making sure we know the chosen bird is not kosher. Others are celebrating the fact that the bird species is known for being monogamous and taking good care of its [...]
America drives! With an average of 2.28 vehicles per U.S. household, and the average American commuting 33 miles per day to work, we are definitely a country that drives. The majority of U.S. cars on the road are fueled by oil. A large percentage of U.S. Oil is currently purchased from foreign countries. It is safe to say we are a country that drives dependent on other countries providing the oil to fuel our vehicles. With war raging in the Middle East, the price of oil constantly climbing and Americans still driving there is heated debate over what can be done to eliminate our dependence on foreign oil. This week the Institute for Local Self Reliance released a report entitled “Driving Our Way to Energy Independence” specifically covering The Energy Independence and Security Act signed by Congress in December 2007.
The effort by Congress in 2007 attempts to transform our current transportation system by mandating higher vehicle efficiency, an increase in production of biofuels, and efforts in renewable electricity. More pie in the sky rhetoric? Well I believe that depends on us, the people, the citizens, innovators, entrepreneurs and activists in our country. American history teaches us about a people who sacrificed their lives settling in a new land, willing to give up convenience for their future. No, we don’t have to settle in a new land. I doubt we will have to give up too much convenience. The technology is available and we are able to transform our current dependence on oil to renewable energy sources.
Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton is a Democrat and the junior US Senator from the state of New York. She is serving her second term in the US Senate. Hillary, as everyone in world probably knows, was the Former First Lady of the United States. She is married to Former President Bill Clinton and they have a daughter, Chelsea.
Senator Clinton has been the perceived front-runner in the Democratic primary since she entered the race. Although, even in New Hampshire where support among registered Democrats remains high for both her and the former President, the race is tightening as we approach the January 8th primary.
She has been to the Granite State on many occasions, and she has brought Bill with her on many of her trips. Her political campaign in NH is heavily populated with Democratic activists and party officials who supported her husband and now support her.
In May, I met Senator Clinton in Manchester and asked her about the role of clean energy in her Administration. Clinton said, “I want to invest in clean energy technologies, and to establish a national program to reduce global warming and increase our fuel efficiency.”
When I followed up with a question about energy independence, she answered instead about climate change, “The United States must be a leader in international efforts to address the problem of climate change.”
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