I learned a fun new word this week: Meatspace. Definition: Not cyberspace, where we all seem to be spending more and more time, but that other place — the real place where we are when we’re not totally absorbed by the internet, texting, Facebook, MySpace and failblog.org. That is to say, the real world. And let me tell you, meatspace is a way scary place.
There’s no instruction manual for meatspace. No shortcuts, no pause button and probably not any do-overs unless (here’s hoping) the Hindus got it right. In meatspace, your avatar is not as cool. It’s probably visually wider, and lacks the cool haircut and hip wardrobe. If you don’t like where you are in cyberspace, you can change it with a click. We are not nearly so lucky in meatspace. We’re kinda stuck here 24/7.
I mention this because I see too many people who tend to live out their lives in cyberspace, and only show up in meatspace to eat and sleep. They have no real connection to anything else in meatspace, and I think that’s going to bite them in their meatspace behind hard enough that they might actually notice here before long.
I’m watching gasoline prices steadily rise. I’m reading about a number of oil producing Middle Eastern countries starting to scale back their domestic subsidies — the very thing I wrote about in 60 Days Next Year back in 2004 that sets off a decidedly unpleasant chain of events around the world in that work of fiction-at-the-time. Will life imitate art? Stay tuned. It’ll probably be on YouTube.
We’re scootin’ right along toward a time of great change here in meatspace, and for anyone fool enough to say, "Oh, we had no warning," I can only say, "No, you had no warning because you weren’t paying attention. You were too busy in cyberspace, posting to your Facebook page, tweeting your friends and checking out all the cool apps on your hot new cell phone." Meanwhile, here in meatspace, we’re watching the situation get more interesting every day — but not any better.
The irony of this rant being nothing but another blog in cyberspace really is funny, isn’t it? Just promise me that at some point this week, you’ll turn off the computer and walk outside, if only for a minute. Me, I’m going for a bicycle ride tomorrow. A real bicycle ride, on a real bicycle, in real meatspace.
Hope I don’t get a meatflat.
Wednesday, December 29, 2010
Tuesday, December 21, 2010
Happy holidays . . . .
Jingle bells, jingle bells...! It’s Christmas time, and let me say this right up front: I really DO like fruitcake. (I guess that comes as no great surprise.) I also enjoy Christmas cookies, eggnog (non-alcoholic), and everything else that makes us make those ridiculous New Year’s resolutions. Whew. I really need to.
I also breathe a sigh of relief at the end of every year, knowing that we did another lap around the sun without any great resource glitch. As of right now, we still have plenty of oil, natural gas and coal — plenty of power. But, every year we manage to maintain the status quo is a year taken at the expense of the downside curve. Ain’t I just the greenest Grinch?
Oil is a finite commodity. Sadly, if not ironically, the Kardashians are not. We may have an endless supply of Kardashians well into the foreseeable future, while the oil is going to get tight, and the longer we use more of it now, the tighter it’s going to get sooner, later. And if you were expecting a “tight Kardashian” joke there, well, just keep in mind they have an infinite supply of lawyers while I do not. Anyway, this is Christmas, and we should all play nice. If only for a week or so.
In a couple of weeks it will be 2011, and it looks like maybe legendary oil guru Dr. Colin Campbell was wrong when he said we’d see serious oil problems in the first decade of the 21st century. (He did, however, totally peg the peak of oil production. Good call there, Doc!) We’re still moving right along, no worries in sight — and that’s a bad thing. The longer we stay ok, with plenty of oil, the steeper the drop will be on the far side when it starts to run out. Again, oil is a finite commodity. We can use it all up now, or we can pace ourselves. No, wait — it’s too late for that pace thing. Might as well use it all right now. Where are my truck keys?
So when you raise that toast on New Year’s Eve and watch Ryan Seacrest in Times Square, look around the room. Focus on your friends and family and understand: It will not always be like this. Enjoy it. Appreciate it.
Happy New Year, y’all.
I also breathe a sigh of relief at the end of every year, knowing that we did another lap around the sun without any great resource glitch. As of right now, we still have plenty of oil, natural gas and coal — plenty of power. But, every year we manage to maintain the status quo is a year taken at the expense of the downside curve. Ain’t I just the greenest Grinch?
Oil is a finite commodity. Sadly, if not ironically, the Kardashians are not. We may have an endless supply of Kardashians well into the foreseeable future, while the oil is going to get tight, and the longer we use more of it now, the tighter it’s going to get sooner, later. And if you were expecting a “tight Kardashian” joke there, well, just keep in mind they have an infinite supply of lawyers while I do not. Anyway, this is Christmas, and we should all play nice. If only for a week or so.
In a couple of weeks it will be 2011, and it looks like maybe legendary oil guru Dr. Colin Campbell was wrong when he said we’d see serious oil problems in the first decade of the 21st century. (He did, however, totally peg the peak of oil production. Good call there, Doc!) We’re still moving right along, no worries in sight — and that’s a bad thing. The longer we stay ok, with plenty of oil, the steeper the drop will be on the far side when it starts to run out. Again, oil is a finite commodity. We can use it all up now, or we can pace ourselves. No, wait — it’s too late for that pace thing. Might as well use it all right now. Where are my truck keys?
So when you raise that toast on New Year’s Eve and watch Ryan Seacrest in Times Square, look around the room. Focus on your friends and family and understand: It will not always be like this. Enjoy it. Appreciate it.
Happy New Year, y’all.
Tuesday, December 14, 2010
Baby, it's cold outside
Ok, so it’s cold here right now. I did not come down here for this. I live in west central Florida (Clearwater), and they’re talking about it being down in the thirties here for a couple of nights. Yeah, I know, compared to, say, Minnesota, this ain’t so bad. Balmy, even. By the end of the week, it will be back up in the 70s, so I’m not complaining, but still…
So what do you suppose will happen up north when natural gas and heating oil start to get too expensive, and then become unavailable in the coming years? How long would your house be inhabitable in the winter when the power goes off? These are not idle questions. Of the four seasons, there’s one that can kill you. What’s it like where you live in the winter? And is it worth the risk? It’s not like you’re going to get much of a warning on this, you know. (Well, other than me. Here. Now.)
In his book, The Adjustment, Charles MacArthur wrote of the disaster that befalls the New York metro area when the power grid fails totally in the middle of a February blizzard. It is a stark and sobering look at just how fast it can all go so very badly when the power goes off in deep winter — especially in a big city. A matter of hours. Maybe minutes. In his novel, Charles writes of an immediate and mass migration south, by any means necessary. Not everyone makes it. I think he got that part absolutely right as well. I do expect to see people moving to Florida in record numbers as the north (the Midwest and the northeast) becomes more difficult and less comfortable in the years ahead, all in the aftermath of peak oil and declining natural gas supplies. Lacking power and heat, I would expect Canada to be emptied out in fairly short order — and I wouldn’t blame them one bit. It gets cold up there, I hear.
Sometimes I wonder if a slow decline in energy resources is worse than a sudden crash. Slow declines tend to offer hope — it might not be that bad — we might turn it around — maybe it’s gonna be okay. With a fast crash, you know you’re pooched and you have to deal with it Right Now. Fast is a great motivator.
Until last winter, I said I never knew why anyone would live north of I-10. We had such a long, cold winter here last year, I’ve amended that to I-4. Another bad one and I’m dropping it down to Alligator Alley. And St. Thomas, in the USVI, is looking mighty good about now. Ah, but we will be warm and sunny again by the weekend here. All will be well. For now. For us.
If you live in the far north, or even north of I-10, you might want to take a very serious look around you. Three seasons a year, you’ve got a good thing going, but winter is not your friend. Please don’t mistake it for one. And always remember: The Sunshine State awaits!
One more thing: if you still haven't found that perfect gift for the holidays, Peak of the Devil is on sale for just $12.95, free shipping and guaranteed delivery before December 25 if you order by December 21. Simply click here and we'll get it for you.
So what do you suppose will happen up north when natural gas and heating oil start to get too expensive, and then become unavailable in the coming years? How long would your house be inhabitable in the winter when the power goes off? These are not idle questions. Of the four seasons, there’s one that can kill you. What’s it like where you live in the winter? And is it worth the risk? It’s not like you’re going to get much of a warning on this, you know. (Well, other than me. Here. Now.)
In his book, The Adjustment, Charles MacArthur wrote of the disaster that befalls the New York metro area when the power grid fails totally in the middle of a February blizzard. It is a stark and sobering look at just how fast it can all go so very badly when the power goes off in deep winter — especially in a big city. A matter of hours. Maybe minutes. In his novel, Charles writes of an immediate and mass migration south, by any means necessary. Not everyone makes it. I think he got that part absolutely right as well. I do expect to see people moving to Florida in record numbers as the north (the Midwest and the northeast) becomes more difficult and less comfortable in the years ahead, all in the aftermath of peak oil and declining natural gas supplies. Lacking power and heat, I would expect Canada to be emptied out in fairly short order — and I wouldn’t blame them one bit. It gets cold up there, I hear.
Sometimes I wonder if a slow decline in energy resources is worse than a sudden crash. Slow declines tend to offer hope — it might not be that bad — we might turn it around — maybe it’s gonna be okay. With a fast crash, you know you’re pooched and you have to deal with it Right Now. Fast is a great motivator.
Until last winter, I said I never knew why anyone would live north of I-10. We had such a long, cold winter here last year, I’ve amended that to I-4. Another bad one and I’m dropping it down to Alligator Alley. And St. Thomas, in the USVI, is looking mighty good about now. Ah, but we will be warm and sunny again by the weekend here. All will be well. For now. For us.
If you live in the far north, or even north of I-10, you might want to take a very serious look around you. Three seasons a year, you’ve got a good thing going, but winter is not your friend. Please don’t mistake it for one. And always remember: The Sunshine State awaits!
Tuesday, December 7, 2010
What about electric cars?
There’s been a lot of interest in electric cars lately, with the Nissan Leaf and Chevy Volt both about to hit the market. Too many people still see them as the answer to our dependency on oil, both foreign and domestic. Sadly, they are not the answer, and it’s tough to get people to understand that.
First, electricity is not an energy source. It is an energy carrier. That is, we have to generate electricity using another energy source — such as oil. Using oil to make electricity so we don’t use oil makes no sense at all. And yet, that’s exactly what people are lining up to do.
This next generation of electric cars (they’ve only been around a hundred years or so) still have a lot in common with their antique ancestors: they are expensive, heavy and have a limited range. Take a look at the Chevy Volt, if you can find one to look at. It will cost about forty thousand dollars and take up to ten hours at 110v to charge the batteries to go just 40 miles — about an hour’s drive on a ten hour charge.
The Nissan Leaf will go for over thirty thousand dollars and still takes eight hours to charge using an optional (recommended) 220v charging station you can have built into your home. Obviously, one does not buy an electric car to save money. No word yet on what replacement battery packs might cost for these cars when the time comes — and it will.
Power companies across America are both sweating bullets and jumping for joy. Sure, the extra income will help (and you’d better believe these things will make a serious bump in your monthly electric bill), but, in the words of the Associated Press’s Jonathan Fahey, “Plugged into a socket, an electric car can draw as much power as a small house. The surge in demand could knock out power to a home, or even a neighborhood.” Estimates on the cost of having a 220 volt charging station wired into your home go as high as $4,000 (for both the purchase of the charging station and the installation) over and above the price of the car, but not taking tax credits into consideration.
Electric cars are going to be the next Prius; that is, the next greenwash on wheels. People will buy them to look green, and still do nothing to curb their miles or their dependency on fossil fuels and private motor transport. They are not the answer.
To me, it makes more sense to buy a $10,000 subcompact and work harder to drive it less. Says the guy with the full-size pick up. Ah, well. It will be interesting to see how this next wave of electric cars are received by the motoring public.
And I just wish GM had worked harder to make the EV-1 their electric vehicle flagship. Now that was a cool electric car.
First, electricity is not an energy source. It is an energy carrier. That is, we have to generate electricity using another energy source — such as oil. Using oil to make electricity so we don’t use oil makes no sense at all. And yet, that’s exactly what people are lining up to do.
This next generation of electric cars (they’ve only been around a hundred years or so) still have a lot in common with their antique ancestors: they are expensive, heavy and have a limited range. Take a look at the Chevy Volt, if you can find one to look at. It will cost about forty thousand dollars and take up to ten hours at 110v to charge the batteries to go just 40 miles — about an hour’s drive on a ten hour charge.
The Nissan Leaf will go for over thirty thousand dollars and still takes eight hours to charge using an optional (recommended) 220v charging station you can have built into your home. Obviously, one does not buy an electric car to save money. No word yet on what replacement battery packs might cost for these cars when the time comes — and it will.
Power companies across America are both sweating bullets and jumping for joy. Sure, the extra income will help (and you’d better believe these things will make a serious bump in your monthly electric bill), but, in the words of the Associated Press’s Jonathan Fahey, “Plugged into a socket, an electric car can draw as much power as a small house. The surge in demand could knock out power to a home, or even a neighborhood.” Estimates on the cost of having a 220 volt charging station wired into your home go as high as $4,000 (for both the purchase of the charging station and the installation) over and above the price of the car, but not taking tax credits into consideration.
Electric cars are going to be the next Prius; that is, the next greenwash on wheels. People will buy them to look green, and still do nothing to curb their miles or their dependency on fossil fuels and private motor transport. They are not the answer.
To me, it makes more sense to buy a $10,000 subcompact and work harder to drive it less. Says the guy with the full-size pick up. Ah, well. It will be interesting to see how this next wave of electric cars are received by the motoring public.
And I just wish GM had worked harder to make the EV-1 their electric vehicle flagship. Now that was a cool electric car.
Thursday, December 2, 2010
Peak oil and a new generation gap
I think we need to talk about the generation gap here for a minute. I say that after doing a couple of book signings and noticing a couple of things. At my first signing, the crowd was mostly older people – people over 40. The young guy in the crowd, maybe in his early thirties, was the one that commandeered the room to share with us the joys of T. Boone Pickins and how T. Boone was going to save us all with natural gas, so no worries.
A few days later, at a book store, I was accosted right off the bat by a twenty-something who offered me a major sneer for not having, on my person, irrefutable scientific evidence that the Alberta tar sands operation was bad for the environment. My fault for positioning myself at a table between him and the coffee bar. He was obviously inconvenienced by having to walk around me. My bad. Won’t happen again.
Nevertheless, I’m sensing a trend here: Older people (over 40, let’s say), do seem far more willing to accept and understand the idea of peak oil and the massive era of change that we are facing. Young people, not so much. But why? Even older people, baby boomers mostly, have lived their entire lives in the lap of luxurious oil. I know I have. Sure, we remember when the phone was bolted to the wall and you actually had to dial it. I, personally, remember when the TV only got three channels (if we were lucky) and they all went off at night. Can you imagine? Still, even then, we knew we had it made. We had a ’58 Pontiac Chieftain, for cryin’ out loud. So why can’t the younger generation see that we have a problem now? And why are the older among us more willing to accept the idea of peak oil and the coming change?
Maybe it’s the level, intensity and total intrusion of “modern life” on the younger among us. They have always had cell phones and techno-gadgets and it’s entirely possible that they have never even seen a manual transmission car. Televisions hard-wired for 500 channels 24/7 are the norm. Radio is beamed from satellites and the Internet is everywhere. The Chieftain didn’t even have seat belts. But Alvin Toffler was wrong.
Toffler wrote Future Shock, a book about how technology will overwhelm the people of the future. Nope, didn’t happen. Sorry, Al. We have willingly absorbed and embraced technology at a stunning rate. Yes, even me. I’m typing this on a laptop computer with wireless Internet capability that can, at the push of a button, connect me with the world. Sure didn’t see THAT coming back when I was in high school — but here it is, and I have a handle on it. No biggie. Maybe Toffler and I need to get together and write the sequel to his book: Retro Shock. That’s what’s coming. Are you ready?
Future technology is not going to trip us up, but the future loss of oil and natural gas will send us reeling. As our lifestyles go back in time to find a sort of low-energy stability, we will have to abandon much for what we have today — much of what we take for granted will have to be given up. All of the easy stuff. Our “anytime, anywhere” lives will have to be planned far in advance, to allow for the much lower levels of energy available. Even robot maids take power. You wait, kid, you’ll see. It’s going to be interesting to see how people (and which people) adapt to the changes brought on by peak oil in the years ahead. Young or old, no one gets a pass on this. Everyone is going to have to play.
A few days later, at a book store, I was accosted right off the bat by a twenty-something who offered me a major sneer for not having, on my person, irrefutable scientific evidence that the Alberta tar sands operation was bad for the environment. My fault for positioning myself at a table between him and the coffee bar. He was obviously inconvenienced by having to walk around me. My bad. Won’t happen again.
Nevertheless, I’m sensing a trend here: Older people (over 40, let’s say), do seem far more willing to accept and understand the idea of peak oil and the massive era of change that we are facing. Young people, not so much. But why? Even older people, baby boomers mostly, have lived their entire lives in the lap of luxurious oil. I know I have. Sure, we remember when the phone was bolted to the wall and you actually had to dial it. I, personally, remember when the TV only got three channels (if we were lucky) and they all went off at night. Can you imagine? Still, even then, we knew we had it made. We had a ’58 Pontiac Chieftain, for cryin’ out loud. So why can’t the younger generation see that we have a problem now? And why are the older among us more willing to accept the idea of peak oil and the coming change?
Maybe it’s the level, intensity and total intrusion of “modern life” on the younger among us. They have always had cell phones and techno-gadgets and it’s entirely possible that they have never even seen a manual transmission car. Televisions hard-wired for 500 channels 24/7 are the norm. Radio is beamed from satellites and the Internet is everywhere. The Chieftain didn’t even have seat belts. But Alvin Toffler was wrong.
Toffler wrote Future Shock, a book about how technology will overwhelm the people of the future. Nope, didn’t happen. Sorry, Al. We have willingly absorbed and embraced technology at a stunning rate. Yes, even me. I’m typing this on a laptop computer with wireless Internet capability that can, at the push of a button, connect me with the world. Sure didn’t see THAT coming back when I was in high school — but here it is, and I have a handle on it. No biggie. Maybe Toffler and I need to get together and write the sequel to his book: Retro Shock. That’s what’s coming. Are you ready?
Future technology is not going to trip us up, but the future loss of oil and natural gas will send us reeling. As our lifestyles go back in time to find a sort of low-energy stability, we will have to abandon much for what we have today — much of what we take for granted will have to be given up. All of the easy stuff. Our “anytime, anywhere” lives will have to be planned far in advance, to allow for the much lower levels of energy available. Even robot maids take power. You wait, kid, you’ll see. It’s going to be interesting to see how people (and which people) adapt to the changes brought on by peak oil in the years ahead. Young or old, no one gets a pass on this. Everyone is going to have to play.
Monday, November 22, 2010
Green gas (station)? Good Grief!
Charlie Brown said it best, and with feeling: “Good grief.” My lovely wife made sure I saw an article in the paper this week about a “green” gas station. And no, I don’t mean that’s the color they painted the building. They do honestly believe they have an environmentally conscientious gas station. And they say that with a straight face. Good grief, indeed.
The commercial establishment of note is the Bayshore Breeze Mobil station, on the northwest corner of Alt. US 19 and Curlew Road in north Dunedin, Florida. Having just undergone a major renovation, the rebuilt structure has attained a “green business certification” from something called the Green Business League. (I’m picturing something akin to the Munchkins’ Lollipop League, but maybe a little taller.) All I can offer in their defense, and it isn’t much, is this: It’s not really a gas station anymore. It was before they rebuilt it. It had repair bays and broken cars parked around it and mechanics and everything a real gas station is supposed to have. Now it’s just a convenience store with gas pumps. But is it green?
“What makes the gas station green,” the article states, “is in the details.” Such as? All gas appliances, they say. Since when is natural gas green? It’s a non-renewable natural resource like oil and uranium. I could never figure out why we call it “natural gas.” As opposed to what? We don’t call it natural coal or natural oil, do we? Again: Good grief.
The article mentioned that “a special spray foam insulation” was used to insulate the building, but no mention of what it really was. Was it oil-based? No idea. My guess is yes, but who knows? They are using LED lighting and solar tubes – so I’ll give them the “green light” on those. The flooring is made from recycled tires, so they get another greenie point (as opposed to a brownie point) there. They plan to use non-toxic cleaning products, and use the air conditioner’s water run-off for the plants. Sure, why not. But why not design the building to not need the air conditioning in the first place? Ah, well.
The gas station is about nine miles north of me, so I may pedal up that way one day next week and check it out. Hey, I’m all for green – even light green. The article had a photo at the top of the front of the new gas station. The sign above the door reads “Bayshore Breeze Market & Grill.” Some gas station. And you know what I don’t see in the photo? A bike rack.
Some green. MTT279FQ9HAW
The commercial establishment of note is the Bayshore Breeze Mobil station, on the northwest corner of Alt. US 19 and Curlew Road in north Dunedin, Florida. Having just undergone a major renovation, the rebuilt structure has attained a “green business certification” from something called the Green Business League. (I’m picturing something akin to the Munchkins’ Lollipop League, but maybe a little taller.) All I can offer in their defense, and it isn’t much, is this: It’s not really a gas station anymore. It was before they rebuilt it. It had repair bays and broken cars parked around it and mechanics and everything a real gas station is supposed to have. Now it’s just a convenience store with gas pumps. But is it green?
“What makes the gas station green,” the article states, “is in the details.” Such as? All gas appliances, they say. Since when is natural gas green? It’s a non-renewable natural resource like oil and uranium. I could never figure out why we call it “natural gas.” As opposed to what? We don’t call it natural coal or natural oil, do we? Again: Good grief.
The article mentioned that “a special spray foam insulation” was used to insulate the building, but no mention of what it really was. Was it oil-based? No idea. My guess is yes, but who knows? They are using LED lighting and solar tubes – so I’ll give them the “green light” on those. The flooring is made from recycled tires, so they get another greenie point (as opposed to a brownie point) there. They plan to use non-toxic cleaning products, and use the air conditioner’s water run-off for the plants. Sure, why not. But why not design the building to not need the air conditioning in the first place? Ah, well.
The gas station is about nine miles north of me, so I may pedal up that way one day next week and check it out. Hey, I’m all for green – even light green. The article had a photo at the top of the front of the new gas station. The sign above the door reads “Bayshore Breeze Market & Grill.” Some gas station. And you know what I don’t see in the photo? A bike rack.
Some green. MTT279FQ9HAW
Thursday, November 11, 2010
So, what's your plan?
I had a great kick off last month with my first book signing for Peak of the Devil at the Dunedin (Florida) public library. There was a lively crowd and we had a lot of fun. The event coordinator’s mother (age 93) was there early, stayed late, and was a joy to talk to both before and after the event. I spoke for about a half-hour or so and then took questions. And boy, did the crowd have questions. Mostly, they had very good questions. Mostly.
At some point toward the end of the evening, a fellow about four rows back wanted to make sure I knew that T. Boone Pickens was going to save America by converting the nation’s entire trucking fleet to natural gas. I tried to point out that natural gas was simply another non-renewable natural resource, and that it would seem unlikely that the trucking industry (not to mention the fuel industry) would embrace T. Boone’s cunning plan.
He would hear none of it. T. Boone was All That to him, and T. Boone was going to save us. (The “T.” stands for Thomas, by the way.) There was no arguing with him, so I didn’t. I couldn’t. I’ve seen this near-religious devotion to Mr. Pickens before. He’s sort of like a Basset-faced Ron Paul in that regard. I do find that sort of unquestioning devotion odd, to say the least, and expect a religion to pop up around the both of them any minute now, if it hasn’t already. Of course my wife, the lovely and ever-supportive JoAnn, was in the last row, well behind this guy, quite literally doubled over in her chair laughing. I just love it when I can bring a smile to her face. I live for those warm moments. But I couldn’t look at her without cracking up myself. Thank you, my dear.
Friends, I honestly do not believe that Mister Thomas Boone Pickens is going to save America. T. Boone’s number one goal in life is to take good care of T. Boone. Period. The man did not make his considerable fortune by being magnanimous. I do not believe that natural gas is going to save us, but yes, I do worry about the nation’s trucking industry. We rely on those long-haul trucks for just about everything. We really are going to need them, as it doesn’t look as though we’re going to get our ducks lined up when it comes to upgrading the nation’s rail system, which would help take the burden off the truckers as diesel fuel gets both expensive and scarce. (Trains offer a far more efficient tons-hauled-per mile than trucks.) I just don’t see the trucking industry converting to natural gas any time soon. Like, ever. Sorry, T. Boone.
Do I recall correctly that liquefied natural gas, as used in converted motor vehicles, contains less energy per volume than gasoline? That a vehicle running on said gas gets worse fuel economy because of it? If so, it makes no sense at all to convert from one depleting natural resource to another you’d need more of just to break even. I seriously doubt we are in any position to ramp up our natural gas extraction to be able to supply the trucking industry on a scale that would do any good, and I’m not even getting into the annoyance of converting a portion of the nation’s fuel delivery infrastructure (gas stations and truck stops) to be able to fill up all of those trucks with LNG nationwide. It would be a nightmare. Of course, ol’ T. Boone wraps it all up in Old Glory and says we have to stop buying oil from people that hate us and declare our energy independence. At least he got that part right, but I also suspect that it will happen soon enough no matter what we do. Peak oil, remember? Yeah, peak oil.
Oh, and the punch line to the evening: The noisy guy didn’t even buy a book. Big shock there, huh?
At some point toward the end of the evening, a fellow about four rows back wanted to make sure I knew that T. Boone Pickens was going to save America by converting the nation’s entire trucking fleet to natural gas. I tried to point out that natural gas was simply another non-renewable natural resource, and that it would seem unlikely that the trucking industry (not to mention the fuel industry) would embrace T. Boone’s cunning plan.
He would hear none of it. T. Boone was All That to him, and T. Boone was going to save us. (The “T.” stands for Thomas, by the way.) There was no arguing with him, so I didn’t. I couldn’t. I’ve seen this near-religious devotion to Mr. Pickens before. He’s sort of like a Basset-faced Ron Paul in that regard. I do find that sort of unquestioning devotion odd, to say the least, and expect a religion to pop up around the both of them any minute now, if it hasn’t already. Of course my wife, the lovely and ever-supportive JoAnn, was in the last row, well behind this guy, quite literally doubled over in her chair laughing. I just love it when I can bring a smile to her face. I live for those warm moments. But I couldn’t look at her without cracking up myself. Thank you, my dear.
Friends, I honestly do not believe that Mister Thomas Boone Pickens is going to save America. T. Boone’s number one goal in life is to take good care of T. Boone. Period. The man did not make his considerable fortune by being magnanimous. I do not believe that natural gas is going to save us, but yes, I do worry about the nation’s trucking industry. We rely on those long-haul trucks for just about everything. We really are going to need them, as it doesn’t look as though we’re going to get our ducks lined up when it comes to upgrading the nation’s rail system, which would help take the burden off the truckers as diesel fuel gets both expensive and scarce. (Trains offer a far more efficient tons-hauled-per mile than trucks.) I just don’t see the trucking industry converting to natural gas any time soon. Like, ever. Sorry, T. Boone.
Do I recall correctly that liquefied natural gas, as used in converted motor vehicles, contains less energy per volume than gasoline? That a vehicle running on said gas gets worse fuel economy because of it? If so, it makes no sense at all to convert from one depleting natural resource to another you’d need more of just to break even. I seriously doubt we are in any position to ramp up our natural gas extraction to be able to supply the trucking industry on a scale that would do any good, and I’m not even getting into the annoyance of converting a portion of the nation’s fuel delivery infrastructure (gas stations and truck stops) to be able to fill up all of those trucks with LNG nationwide. It would be a nightmare. Of course, ol’ T. Boone wraps it all up in Old Glory and says we have to stop buying oil from people that hate us and declare our energy independence. At least he got that part right, but I also suspect that it will happen soon enough no matter what we do. Peak oil, remember? Yeah, peak oil.
Oh, and the punch line to the evening: The noisy guy didn’t even buy a book. Big shock there, huh?
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
The Real Problem with Peak Oil
The biggest problem with peak oil isn’t peak oil. It’s us. All of us. All seven billion of us. We have absolutely no Plan B, and too few of us (hardly any of us) understand that time is fast running out for Plan A. I have long said that Americans are lousy planners, but great at responding to a crisis. Man, I sure hope I’m right about that, because we have done zero planning for this one. We are barreling right along into the greatest crisis man has ever had to face, and too many of us (all of us) are flying blind with the throttles wide open. We haven’t got a plan and we haven’t got a clue.
Peak oil is going to catch everyone off base – even people that think they know what’s going on. (I only pretend to know, but at least I know I’m pretending.) None of us have any idea how hard this will hit or when. Too few understand that it will hit at all, and too many still deny it. If my book gets more people interested enough to ask questions, please: ASK QUESTIONS. Ask your local elected and appointed officials: What are they doing to get ready for this? Ask at every level of government: What about peak oil? Chances are you’re going to get little more than a blank stare, a smarmy government smile and an answer that has nothing to do with the question at all. Keep asking. Especially as we go into the next big presidential election cycle for 2012.
The only government in North America I know of right now that has done any serious study at all on peak oil and what they are facing is the City of Portland, Oregon. By all means, do get a copy of the Portland Peak Oil Task Force report and get it into the hands of your local officials. No, they probably won’t read it, but you did what you could. (And do read that report yourself.) The words “peak oil” need to be as annoyingly common as “drill, baby, drill” was awhile back. We need to hear the words “peak oil” being said. A lot.
There is no IQ test to run for public office. (That kind of explains just about everything right there, doesn’t it?) Elected officials are no smarter than the rest of us. (Even being AS smart would be a step in the right direction.) We all use the same Magic 8 Ball to help guide us through life. I do not expect my government to save me from peak oil. I do not expect to be able to save my government from same. But we have to at least try. Make the effort. At least ask.
Peak oil is going to catch everyone off base – even people that think they know what’s going on. (I only pretend to know, but at least I know I’m pretending.) None of us have any idea how hard this will hit or when. Too few understand that it will hit at all, and too many still deny it. If my book gets more people interested enough to ask questions, please: ASK QUESTIONS. Ask your local elected and appointed officials: What are they doing to get ready for this? Ask at every level of government: What about peak oil? Chances are you’re going to get little more than a blank stare, a smarmy government smile and an answer that has nothing to do with the question at all. Keep asking. Especially as we go into the next big presidential election cycle for 2012.
The only government in North America I know of right now that has done any serious study at all on peak oil and what they are facing is the City of Portland, Oregon. By all means, do get a copy of the Portland Peak Oil Task Force report and get it into the hands of your local officials. No, they probably won’t read it, but you did what you could. (And do read that report yourself.) The words “peak oil” need to be as annoyingly common as “drill, baby, drill” was awhile back. We need to hear the words “peak oil” being said. A lot.
There is no IQ test to run for public office. (That kind of explains just about everything right there, doesn’t it?) Elected officials are no smarter than the rest of us. (Even being AS smart would be a step in the right direction.) We all use the same Magic 8 Ball to help guide us through life. I do not expect my government to save me from peak oil. I do not expect to be able to save my government from same. But we have to at least try. Make the effort. At least ask.
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
Oil Cuba China Oil
I’m lousy at predicting the future, but I can tell you with some certainty what’s coming soon in the wacky world of offshore oil. Even though the US government has dropped the ban on offshore drilling in US waters, look for everyone and their sock monkeys to be all up in arms before long over what’s happening south of Key West. And what IS happening south of Key West? They are getting ready to drill for oil off shore. So what’s the problem?
Cuba is in the process of offering up offshore oil leases to foreign countries to begin exploring and drilling for oil off of their northwest coast — the coast closest to Key West. These new offshore rigs have the potential to be as close to Key West as the Deepwater Horizon rig was to Louisiana. The only thing is, these new rigs aren’t going to be run by BP. They will be Chinese.
Now you’d better believe there will be plenty of people on the north side of the Florida Straits all spit-flustered over this one, even though it ain’t our oil and it ain’t our ocean. Their waters, their oil, their call, and there isn’t a thing we can do about it. Jack Kennedy is long gone, and we’re not talking Soviet ICBMs here. Still, too many people here in the US tend to get possessive over anyone’s oil, especially when it’s not ours.
Now there’s no doubt that Cuba could use the oil and the income. Even The Bearded One himself recently admitted that the communist thing wasn’t working so well for them these days. Who knows? Maybe a spanking new oil industry will give them the boost they need to dig themselves out of their own red menace and join the real world, already in progress. That would be cool. A free Cuba would be a dream come true for a great many people. But probably not for the Chinese.
The downside of having the Chinese involved in the Cuban oil industry is their presence in the event of any meaningful change in Cuba. This is setting the stage for a very nasty chess game on a very small board. I can see where China would do all it could to keep Cuba communist to protect their investment in the Cuban oil industry, to the point of sending armed troops. And I think I speak for even the most laid back of Parrotheads when I say that Communist Chinese troops in North America should NOT be taken lightly.
For now, the Cuban oil industry is just getting started. It will take some years for the offshore rigs to be put in place, the wells to be drilled and the oil to be pumped. I would like to think that means there is still time for America to reverse some 60 years of total political idiocy and begin a meaningful dialogue with Cuba that could result in us having some sort of stake and share in what we cannot stop. It’s time for us to grow a brain and treat Cuba with the respect we offer any other country.
Like, say, China.
| For Kindle | In Paperback |
Thursday, October 7, 2010
Good News, Bad News
Good news: I have more time to ride my bicycle these days. Bad news: I have more time to ride my bicycle. But let me tell you, we are not a nation of good drivers. Out on a bike, you get to see far more cars and drivers than you would if you kept up with traffic, and that is not a good thing. There was a time when we took pride in our driving skills. Those times are gone – long gone. Now driving is just something that happens while we are talking, texting or doing any number of other things we shouldn’t be doing while we are driving. And even if we are doing nothing but driving, we still don’t quite seem to have the hang of it. And yes, I do lump myself in there, but at least I admit I’m not that good.
However, I do notice something every time we see a spike in gas prices: As a gallon of regular gas tops $3.00, people don’t drive cautious – they drive mean. If you're like me, out there on a bicycle, mean is not good. Mean can be deadly. I can’t imagine what I’ll see on the roads if gas goes above $5.00. Or $10.00. Wow. The future’s looking kinda ugly, ain’t it?
But hey, my new book about peak oil, Peak of the Devil, is on sale and I'm doing radio interviews all over North America! Go team! I have a feeling I’m kind of a shock to the talk radio hosts, as I have no fear. None. I spent seven years in tights on the stage at the local Renaissance Festival, juggling machetes, double-blade axes and fire torches. I have nothing to fear from a radio host 3,000 miles away. So if you are up for a giggle, click here to check the schedule on my web site, and tune in if you can.
Peak of the Devil should be in every public library and recreation centre. It’s a great introduction to the topic. . . .there is much genius within the pages, a great deal of perceptive and subtle thinking.
However, I do notice something every time we see a spike in gas prices: As a gallon of regular gas tops $3.00, people don’t drive cautious – they drive mean. If you're like me, out there on a bicycle, mean is not good. Mean can be deadly. I can’t imagine what I’ll see on the roads if gas goes above $5.00. Or $10.00. Wow. The future’s looking kinda ugly, ain’t it?
But hey, my new book about peak oil, Peak of the Devil, is on sale and I'm doing radio interviews all over North America! Go team! I have a feeling I’m kind of a shock to the talk radio hosts, as I have no fear. None. I spent seven years in tights on the stage at the local Renaissance Festival, juggling machetes, double-blade axes and fire torches. I have nothing to fear from a radio host 3,000 miles away. So if you are up for a giggle, click here to check the schedule on my web site, and tune in if you can.
Peak of the Devil should be in every public library and recreation centre. It’s a great introduction to the topic. . . .there is much genius within the pages, a great deal of perceptive and subtle thinking.
— Matthew Wild, Energy Bulletin
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
Oh, bother.
This coming Thursday, September 30, will be my last day at a job I have held for over twenty-one years. My lay-off has nothing to do with peak oil, but it is still traumatic. Overwhelmingly so. I’m in the process of getting set up to work at home, and my new full-time job is “writer”. (It has been my part-time position up until now.) So, if there’s a slight lag in my blog entries here, please forgive me. If you're really missing me, you might check out my upcoming media schedule because...
In better news, Peak of the Devil will be officially released the following day, this Friday, October First. 10/01/10. Wow. I can’t wait to see how it does and how it is received once it’s out there. And of course I’ll read the reviews on Amazon. (So please be kind.) Is this the right book for the right time? I really do think so. Oil is in the news more and more, and more people are starting to understand that there’s more to the problem than just a spill or two. The big picture is grim, and getting worse. Welcome to the peak of that devil.
As of this morning, I have three more days in my old job. It’s weird. The office vultures have already started to circle, checking out our desks and chairs and stuff — to see what they want to grab before the seat cushions cool off. My cubicle, once festooned with bicycle posters as well as bicycles, is absolutely bare. Most of the drawers are empty. I could, right now, pick up three things, walk out the door and never look back. Except, I have to say, I really liked this job. I understand where Lot’s wife was coming from. I will look back.
With my new job as writer, I will most certainly have more time to write. I’ve another non-fiction book I’d like to write this winter, and ideas for a couple of novels I’d be delighted to beat out of a willing keyboard. If my new full-time job is writer, my new part-time job is going to be “find an agent for my fiction.” If there’s anyone out there that wants to be my fiction agent, drop me a line and we’ll talk. I have finished two novels, a stage play with 17 original songs, and a short story (about peak oil!) that knocked ‘em dead in Maine a few years ago. And, of course, I want to write more. But I need an agent for my fiction. Anyone? Anyone?
Let’s end this on the most incredible high note possible: Last week I received a hand-written note from Harper Lee. That, to me, is like having God show up at your birthday party to give you a puppy. Whew.
In better news, Peak of the Devil will be officially released the following day, this Friday, October First. 10/01/10. Wow. I can’t wait to see how it does and how it is received once it’s out there. And of course I’ll read the reviews on Amazon. (So please be kind.) Is this the right book for the right time? I really do think so. Oil is in the news more and more, and more people are starting to understand that there’s more to the problem than just a spill or two. The big picture is grim, and getting worse. Welcome to the peak of that devil.
As of this morning, I have three more days in my old job. It’s weird. The office vultures have already started to circle, checking out our desks and chairs and stuff — to see what they want to grab before the seat cushions cool off. My cubicle, once festooned with bicycle posters as well as bicycles, is absolutely bare. Most of the drawers are empty. I could, right now, pick up three things, walk out the door and never look back. Except, I have to say, I really liked this job. I understand where Lot’s wife was coming from. I will look back.
With my new job as writer, I will most certainly have more time to write. I’ve another non-fiction book I’d like to write this winter, and ideas for a couple of novels I’d be delighted to beat out of a willing keyboard. If my new full-time job is writer, my new part-time job is going to be “find an agent for my fiction.” If there’s anyone out there that wants to be my fiction agent, drop me a line and we’ll talk. I have finished two novels, a stage play with 17 original songs, and a short story (about peak oil!) that knocked ‘em dead in Maine a few years ago. And, of course, I want to write more. But I need an agent for my fiction. Anyone? Anyone?
Let’s end this on the most incredible high note possible: Last week I received a hand-written note from Harper Lee. That, to me, is like having God show up at your birthday party to give you a puppy. Whew.
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
The Germans get it in one
So there’s a new report out on peak oil, leaked from a German military think tank. The report spells out the dire consequences of peak oil, and says this is it: It happened this year. It’s tough to argue with the Germans. They tend to get their facts straight and don’t go in for a lot of sugar coating. I tend to believe them.
Historically, the German military has always had a major stake and interest in oil. During the middle of the 20th century, when half of the German military was on a road trip through scenic Russia and the other half was on a working vacationing in France, the folks back home were saddled with the important task of keeping everyone moving right along - without oil. They worked very hard to develop synthetic oil, and found then what we know now: Yeah, you can do it. You can make synthetic oil, but: It’s very expensive, labor intensive, takes a lot time and it’s difficult, if not impossible, to make all you need. So now, when the Germans say we’ve reached peak oil, I do think they know of what they speak. I also think, for Germans, they are being wildly optimistic. That doesn’t seem like them at all.
Well, no matter what, now another precinct weighs in. The Germans say it happened this year. I said it happened in 2005, but I admit mine was just a barely educated guess. By the time you feel it, by the time you see it, the actual date of peak oil won’t matter at all. People who have studied peak oil for years often argue whether it will be a fast crash or a slow crash as the oil goes away. My answer is that it will be a slow crash until it gets to you. Then it’s going to seem mighty fast.
In the meantime, it was good to see the Germans say something about it publicly, even if the report was leaked. As for me, I’m just happy to be able to report the report, and to be able to offer up Basil Fawlty’s most famous quote: “I mentioned the war once, but I think I got away with it.”
Historically, the German military has always had a major stake and interest in oil. During the middle of the 20th century, when half of the German military was on a road trip through scenic Russia and the other half was on a working vacationing in France, the folks back home were saddled with the important task of keeping everyone moving right along - without oil. They worked very hard to develop synthetic oil, and found then what we know now: Yeah, you can do it. You can make synthetic oil, but: It’s very expensive, labor intensive, takes a lot time and it’s difficult, if not impossible, to make all you need. So now, when the Germans say we’ve reached peak oil, I do think they know of what they speak. I also think, for Germans, they are being wildly optimistic. That doesn’t seem like them at all.
Well, no matter what, now another precinct weighs in. The Germans say it happened this year. I said it happened in 2005, but I admit mine was just a barely educated guess. By the time you feel it, by the time you see it, the actual date of peak oil won’t matter at all. People who have studied peak oil for years often argue whether it will be a fast crash or a slow crash as the oil goes away. My answer is that it will be a slow crash until it gets to you. Then it’s going to seem mighty fast.
In the meantime, it was good to see the Germans say something about it publicly, even if the report was leaked. As for me, I’m just happy to be able to report the report, and to be able to offer up Basil Fawlty’s most famous quote: “I mentioned the war once, but I think I got away with it.”
Thursday, September 16, 2010
What Fun!
I spent a little bit of time yesterday evening chatting with Dave McGee and Sean Phipps on Dave’s radio show. I had called a few minutes before my appointed interview time, and got to listen to some of the show as I was on hold. It was interesting to hear them go after both the President and Glenn Beck with equal cheek, and I had to wonder what I was in for when my turn came. As it turned out, I had no reason to worry. We had a great time and laughed like crazed hyenas.
We talked about peak oil, of course, and I equated it with peak dating, and how you’re never quite sure when you’ve reached peak date, so how could we know peak oil? They got a kick out of that, and I think it made Sean ponder his big date last week. Was that his peak date? And at what point does he admit that it was? Peak oil is the same way.
Both my publisher and my publicist are going to have me trotting in October, promoting Peak of the Devil, and I like that. I am not shy. Having performed on stage, in tights, at the local Renaissance Festival for some years, I have no fear of crowds or cameras — as long as I am wearing pants. I always check before I go on. Let’s see. . . Yep, they’re there. I’m golden.
If you’re lucky, you will hear me on the radio or see me on TV over the next six weeks or so. And if I’m lucky, you’ll listen. I promise to keep the message up beat and entertaining, despite the decidedly down beat and somber subject matter. I feel a little bit like Country Joe and the Fish here: “Ain’t no time to wonder why, whoopie we’re all gonna die!” Oh, I could so re-write that song for these times.
So keep your ears open for the sound of my lilting, if not dulcet tones on the radio. Look for my mug on the tube. Who knows? I might be there. Just remember, no matter how funny it might sound at the moment, and no matter what I say, the underlying message is far more serious than I will ever let on.
Now don’t touch that radio dial!
We talked about peak oil, of course, and I equated it with peak dating, and how you’re never quite sure when you’ve reached peak date, so how could we know peak oil? They got a kick out of that, and I think it made Sean ponder his big date last week. Was that his peak date? And at what point does he admit that it was? Peak oil is the same way.
Both my publisher and my publicist are going to have me trotting in October, promoting Peak of the Devil, and I like that. I am not shy. Having performed on stage, in tights, at the local Renaissance Festival for some years, I have no fear of crowds or cameras — as long as I am wearing pants. I always check before I go on. Let’s see. . . Yep, they’re there. I’m golden.
If you’re lucky, you will hear me on the radio or see me on TV over the next six weeks or so. And if I’m lucky, you’ll listen. I promise to keep the message up beat and entertaining, despite the decidedly down beat and somber subject matter. I feel a little bit like Country Joe and the Fish here: “Ain’t no time to wonder why, whoopie we’re all gonna die!” Oh, I could so re-write that song for these times.
So keep your ears open for the sound of my lilting, if not dulcet tones on the radio. Look for my mug on the tube. Who knows? I might be there. Just remember, no matter how funny it might sound at the moment, and no matter what I say, the underlying message is far more serious than I will ever let on.
Now don’t touch that radio dial!
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
What if I’m wrong about Peak Oil?
Back in the 1970s there was a bumper sticker that read simply: QUESTION AUTHORITY. I think that’s still a valid request, and I think the bumper sticker and some little buttons with that phrase are still available today. The thing is, I’m no authority. I’m just a guy who reads a lot and writes a little. Still, you should ask: What if I’m wrong?
What if oil doesn’t peak? What if supplies don’t get tight? What if we just keep on keeping on, always finding enough oil to get us by in the years and decades ahead? Boy, wouldn’t that be great? Not many people want to be wrong. On this, I’d be delighted.
What you have to ask is this: How much do we know about global oil production with absolute dead certainty? The answer is "Not much." What we do know is this: The peak of oil discoveries world-wide was back in the 1960s, some 45 years ago. We also know we are using oil faster than we are finding it. And in all honesty, that’s all we know for absolute dead certain. Everything else is an educated guess.
We do not know how much oil remains in the earth, nor do we know where it all is, or if we can get to it, ever. Because that is really what we know, we say this: We will never extract all of the oil. There will always be oil in the earth. But you have it understand that “peak oil” is not about the last drop. It’s simply about the production curve. At some point, we assume, we will no longer be able to extract enough oil to meet our base-line demand. That is, we will not be able to conduct our lives as we do now, even after we implement available energy alternatives and conservation. Even after demand destruction. At some point, oil depletion will become a first world problem. Our problem. Of that, I am fairly certain.
But, again what if I’m wrong? Tell you what: If I’m wrong, and the oil doesn’t run low, I’m gonna buy the 1972 Cadillac Eldorado convertible I always wanted and drive that sucker coast to coast with the top down and Springsteen on the eight-track.
Wanna come along?
What if oil doesn’t peak? What if supplies don’t get tight? What if we just keep on keeping on, always finding enough oil to get us by in the years and decades ahead? Boy, wouldn’t that be great? Not many people want to be wrong. On this, I’d be delighted.
What you have to ask is this: How much do we know about global oil production with absolute dead certainty? The answer is "Not much." What we do know is this: The peak of oil discoveries world-wide was back in the 1960s, some 45 years ago. We also know we are using oil faster than we are finding it. And in all honesty, that’s all we know for absolute dead certain. Everything else is an educated guess.
We do not know how much oil remains in the earth, nor do we know where it all is, or if we can get to it, ever. Because that is really what we know, we say this: We will never extract all of the oil. There will always be oil in the earth. But you have it understand that “peak oil” is not about the last drop. It’s simply about the production curve. At some point, we assume, we will no longer be able to extract enough oil to meet our base-line demand. That is, we will not be able to conduct our lives as we do now, even after we implement available energy alternatives and conservation. Even after demand destruction. At some point, oil depletion will become a first world problem. Our problem. Of that, I am fairly certain.
But, again what if I’m wrong? Tell you what: If I’m wrong, and the oil doesn’t run low, I’m gonna buy the 1972 Cadillac Eldorado convertible I always wanted and drive that sucker coast to coast with the top down and Springsteen on the eight-track.
Wanna come along?
Thursday, September 2, 2010
Another oil rig explodes. Second verse; same as the first?
I’m ‘Enery the eighth I am, ‘Enery the Eighth I am, I am… no, wait, I’m really not. And I know you hear people say they hate being right all of the time, but you won’t hear that from me. I don’t mind so much. So here we go again already so soon.
In the news today: Another oil rig in the Gulf of Mexico has exploded. This one is 80 miles off the coast of Louisiana. No word yet on any leakage, but at least no one was killed. We’ll see how the story evolves over the next day or so.
I’m the guy who said we could expect more of this sort of thing, but I honestly didn’t expect to see another one so soon. Then again, it has been over four months since the Deepwater Horizon went to the briny deep. Desperation breeds adventure, it seems. Oil companies are willing to take the risk because they have little choice. If you want the oil, and they want to sell you that oil, they have to go where the oil is, and they’ve already been where most of the oil was. We’ve plucked the low-hanging fruit, and now we’re serious about trying to keep up appearances and keep the oil flowing — no matter what it takes, who gets hurt or how many fish get in the way. Drill, baby, drill!
In truth, if you looked at every oil well in the Gulf of Mexico, you’d probably find a lot of them leaking oil to one degree or another. Such is the unnatural nature of the business. But that ain’t news. The darned thing has to blow up to make it on TV. And you’d better believe this will be the lead story tonight.
So sit back, relax and get comfy. Here we go again. Second verse, same as the first. And I can’t help but wonder where Peter Noone is these days.
In the news today: Another oil rig in the Gulf of Mexico has exploded. This one is 80 miles off the coast of Louisiana. No word yet on any leakage, but at least no one was killed. We’ll see how the story evolves over the next day or so.
I’m the guy who said we could expect more of this sort of thing, but I honestly didn’t expect to see another one so soon. Then again, it has been over four months since the Deepwater Horizon went to the briny deep. Desperation breeds adventure, it seems. Oil companies are willing to take the risk because they have little choice. If you want the oil, and they want to sell you that oil, they have to go where the oil is, and they’ve already been where most of the oil was. We’ve plucked the low-hanging fruit, and now we’re serious about trying to keep up appearances and keep the oil flowing — no matter what it takes, who gets hurt or how many fish get in the way. Drill, baby, drill!
In truth, if you looked at every oil well in the Gulf of Mexico, you’d probably find a lot of them leaking oil to one degree or another. Such is the unnatural nature of the business. But that ain’t news. The darned thing has to blow up to make it on TV. And you’d better believe this will be the lead story tonight.
So sit back, relax and get comfy. Here we go again. Second verse, same as the first. And I can’t help but wonder where Peter Noone is these days.
Thursday, August 26, 2010
Monday, August 23, 2010
BP Dispersants: It seemed like a good idea at the time
Man oh man oh man. You ever notice how, when a guy does something really stupid, the long rambling excuse he offers up later so often starts with the phrase, “It seemed like a good idea at the time.”? Yeah, well, see, there was this big oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico awhile back. It was in all the papers. Sure, they capped that puppy, but not before a whole mess of gooey oil got loose. One of the first things the oil company did, in response to the massive leak, was to spray dispersants on the oil that gathered over the surface of the water. It seemed like a good idea at the time.
Dispersants. Not gather-it-all-upants. Not make-it-go-awayants. Dispersants. So then what did the oil do? Class? That’s right, Johnny: It dispersed. It did not go away and it was not gathered up. It dispersed. The big gooey mess was, through the magic of toxic chemicals, reduced to teeny, tiny little messes that maybe no one would see. Or so I’m sure they hoped. All together now: It seemed like a good idea at the time.
I have to admit: I was really skeptical at the time when the marine science guys from USF came back from the northern Gulf of Mexico and said they had found oil plumes moving well under the surface of the ocean out there. I mean, come on, we all know oil floats. How can oil not float? It’s oil. Apparently, if you spray crude oil with the right dispersant, it breaks up into very small molecules and does not float. Out of sight, out of mind. Were they out of their minds? We’ll leave that topic for another blog. Right now, we’ve got an oil mess to clean up. If we can find it.
So now we have the Gulf of Mexico looking virtually free of surface oil, but: They are finding more and more oil moving below the ocean’s surface or sunk to the bottom in sizes small enough to enter the food chain. And dude, you are part of that food chain. This is your food chain we’re talking about here. The phrase “fish oil” is taking on a whole new ugly meaning. How soon before we see this oil in the fish we can’t eat?
Even though this all started months ago, we still have not seen the last of it. People are just now finding out how badly the dispersed oil has messed with the subsurface environment in the Gulf of Mexico. It may be years before we know the full impact and how long it might take for the oil to work its way out of the ecosystem. Until then, expect this to be a sort of lingering annoyance thing. It’s no longer news, as it is no longer spectacular. The ongoing contamination of life in the Gulf will not make the headlines. It will be the subject of quiet reports and research papers. No biggie. It’s just the death of the ocean. Who’s gonna notice?
Maybe the oil company wasn’t so stupid after all. They got rid of the visible signs of their screw-up. Subsurface microscopic oil contamination is tough to film for the evening news. The situation has become all technical and scientific, and who wants to read about that? Too many big words. Maybe, from BP’s point of view, it wasn’t such a bad idea after all.
Maybe, like so much else they BP does, it was simply evil.
Dispersants. Not gather-it-all-upants. Not make-it-go-awayants. Dispersants. So then what did the oil do? Class? That’s right, Johnny: It dispersed. It did not go away and it was not gathered up. It dispersed. The big gooey mess was, through the magic of toxic chemicals, reduced to teeny, tiny little messes that maybe no one would see. Or so I’m sure they hoped. All together now: It seemed like a good idea at the time.
I have to admit: I was really skeptical at the time when the marine science guys from USF came back from the northern Gulf of Mexico and said they had found oil plumes moving well under the surface of the ocean out there. I mean, come on, we all know oil floats. How can oil not float? It’s oil. Apparently, if you spray crude oil with the right dispersant, it breaks up into very small molecules and does not float. Out of sight, out of mind. Were they out of their minds? We’ll leave that topic for another blog. Right now, we’ve got an oil mess to clean up. If we can find it.
So now we have the Gulf of Mexico looking virtually free of surface oil, but: They are finding more and more oil moving below the ocean’s surface or sunk to the bottom in sizes small enough to enter the food chain. And dude, you are part of that food chain. This is your food chain we’re talking about here. The phrase “fish oil” is taking on a whole new ugly meaning. How soon before we see this oil in the fish we can’t eat?
Even though this all started months ago, we still have not seen the last of it. People are just now finding out how badly the dispersed oil has messed with the subsurface environment in the Gulf of Mexico. It may be years before we know the full impact and how long it might take for the oil to work its way out of the ecosystem. Until then, expect this to be a sort of lingering annoyance thing. It’s no longer news, as it is no longer spectacular. The ongoing contamination of life in the Gulf will not make the headlines. It will be the subject of quiet reports and research papers. No biggie. It’s just the death of the ocean. Who’s gonna notice?
Maybe the oil company wasn’t so stupid after all. They got rid of the visible signs of their screw-up. Subsurface microscopic oil contamination is tough to film for the evening news. The situation has become all technical and scientific, and who wants to read about that? Too many big words. Maybe, from BP’s point of view, it wasn’t such a bad idea after all.
Maybe, like so much else they BP does, it was simply evil.
Monday, August 16, 2010
Independence From Oil
So I got asked to lead an “Independence From Oil” ride last Sunday. I could go into boring detail about how much oil it takes to actually build and operate a bicycle (more than you’d think), but hey, the gig landed me a spot on the local evening news Saturday night, so it wasn’t all bad. I was even the follow up to a story about the President taking a quick vacation on the Gulf coast. How cool is that? A bunch of people showed up the next morning for the ride, and we went from downtown Clearwater up to the front gate of Honeymoon Island State Park. Along the way I got to chat with Bill Hemme from St. Petersburg College. We talked about what it might take to form a bicycle club at the school. (I promised to go and talk to them about bicycling this fall.) Also got to see a couple of the guys I saw at the last local alley cat race (I knew I should have brought my fixie!) and overall, I think we had a good ride.
Friday, August 13, 2010
Waiting for the other shoe
So here we are in the middle of August, BP has capped their runaway oil well and all is right with the world. (Man, that was tough to type with a straight face.) The media (and America’s) attention span being what it is these days, the oil spill in the Gulf is now officially old news, and to keep hammering away at it makes you look a bit out of it, sort of like a bad SNL skit. Or a really good one. And yet. . . .
And yet, I sit here waiting for the other shoe to drop. Yeah, they capped the well. The relief wells are not yet drawing off the oil to release the pressure, so there’s still a chance the original well will rupture far below the sea bed (below the cap plug) and turn a major oil spill into something far, far worse — and impossible to stop. Of course, that hasn’t happened yet. That we know of. I did get a kick this week — this week — out of Greenpeace sending a ship out there to check it out. Uh, guys? Where ya been? This all happened four months ago. You’re late to the party. Way late. It’s old news. But thanks for stopping by.
Let me tell you how old this news is: A couple of weeks ago, a tugboat hit a barely submerged well head up that way, in the Gulf, and it spewed oil like a big fountain in Vegas, right out there in the Gulf for all to see (if you just happened to be there). It hardly got any mention at all in the media. It’s old news. There are most certainly other wells out there, abandoned and leaking away like crazy, but no one’s going to bother to mention them. That’s really old news. I guess Lady Gaga is hogging all of the headlines these days until Michael Jackson does something interesting. Like breathes.
Of course this will happen again; that is, there will be other oil spills/leaks/whoopsies out in the Gulf, but here’s how the media works: If the next one isn’t bigger than this one, you might not ever hear about it at all. It ain’t news unless it’s new.
Meanwhile, before Lady Gaga walks in here and punches my lights out (or Michael Jackson does a very impressive zombie dance), how about we compare notes? If you have made any changes in your life in response to the possibility of peak oil, I’d like to know what you’ve done. We’ve lowered our home energy use (to 5 kwh a day) and I do a fair amount of practical cycling around town. If you’ve done anything in the way of prepping for peak, post it in the comments section here and we’ll talk about it.
And yet, I sit here waiting for the other shoe to drop. Yeah, they capped the well. The relief wells are not yet drawing off the oil to release the pressure, so there’s still a chance the original well will rupture far below the sea bed (below the cap plug) and turn a major oil spill into something far, far worse — and impossible to stop. Of course, that hasn’t happened yet. That we know of. I did get a kick this week — this week — out of Greenpeace sending a ship out there to check it out. Uh, guys? Where ya been? This all happened four months ago. You’re late to the party. Way late. It’s old news. But thanks for stopping by.
Let me tell you how old this news is: A couple of weeks ago, a tugboat hit a barely submerged well head up that way, in the Gulf, and it spewed oil like a big fountain in Vegas, right out there in the Gulf for all to see (if you just happened to be there). It hardly got any mention at all in the media. It’s old news. There are most certainly other wells out there, abandoned and leaking away like crazy, but no one’s going to bother to mention them. That’s really old news. I guess Lady Gaga is hogging all of the headlines these days until Michael Jackson does something interesting. Like breathes.
Of course this will happen again; that is, there will be other oil spills/leaks/whoopsies out in the Gulf, but here’s how the media works: If the next one isn’t bigger than this one, you might not ever hear about it at all. It ain’t news unless it’s new.
Meanwhile, before Lady Gaga walks in here and punches my lights out (or Michael Jackson does a very impressive zombie dance), how about we compare notes? If you have made any changes in your life in response to the possibility of peak oil, I’d like to know what you’ve done. We’ve lowered our home energy use (to 5 kwh a day) and I do a fair amount of practical cycling around town. If you’ve done anything in the way of prepping for peak, post it in the comments section here and we’ll talk about it.
Monday, August 9, 2010
The Boy Who Cried “PEAK!”
For every person out there that thinks the world’s supply of oil will some day peak, there’s another person even further out there that is just as sure it won’t. These are the “Cornucopians”, who see the earth’s supply of oil as virtually inexhaustible. This “Oil Forever” camp can be roughly divided into three broad groups: You have your Economic Cornucopians that believe that demand (price) creates product, the Techno-Cornucopians that are sure that technology will save us and provide a never-ending supply of energy, and my personal favorites, the Chewy Nougat Center Cornucopians that are convinced that the center of the earth is full of “abiotic” oil. I kid you not.
And every one of these wonderful, thoughtful shiny people are more than happy to point out that the people that predict peak oil have been predicting the peak of oil for a very long time. Like for over a hundred years. And it hasn’t happened yet. (As far as we know.) People that do predict the peak of global oil are very often accused of crying wolf. “Remember the boy who cried wolf”, they will say, with a smile and a wink and a sort of knowing nod to dismiss anyone so foolish as to think that we might some day run low on oil. Perish the thought, if not the thinker.
So I’ve been thinking, and here’s my thought for the day: Yes, people that believe that we might some day run low on oil are very much like the boy that cried wolf, but not for quite the same reason. The boy cried wolf because he craved the excitement. We cry wolf because we lack complete, accurate data and must, for lack of a better world, guess at what we are seeing and what it all might mean.
The funny thing is, those that accuse us of crying wolf forget how the story ends. At the end of the story, there’s a wolf, and people don’t listen.
Life imitates art yet again. Woof, woof.
And every one of these wonderful, thoughtful shiny people are more than happy to point out that the people that predict peak oil have been predicting the peak of oil for a very long time. Like for over a hundred years. And it hasn’t happened yet. (As far as we know.) People that do predict the peak of global oil are very often accused of crying wolf. “Remember the boy who cried wolf”, they will say, with a smile and a wink and a sort of knowing nod to dismiss anyone so foolish as to think that we might some day run low on oil. Perish the thought, if not the thinker.
So I’ve been thinking, and here’s my thought for the day: Yes, people that believe that we might some day run low on oil are very much like the boy that cried wolf, but not for quite the same reason. The boy cried wolf because he craved the excitement. We cry wolf because we lack complete, accurate data and must, for lack of a better world, guess at what we are seeing and what it all might mean.
The funny thing is, those that accuse us of crying wolf forget how the story ends. At the end of the story, there’s a wolf, and people don’t listen.
Life imitates art yet again. Woof, woof.
Monday, August 2, 2010
That oil-free life.
And you ain’t living it, Roscoe. Trust me. No matter what, if you are reading this, you are using oil. Now, I know, if you are living in a solar-powered cabin in the woods or maybe in an apartment in New York City, you might appear to not be using any oil. You don’t have a car, you don’t have a lawn mower. You, personally, don’t have to buy anything like oil or gasoline or any oil-like product. Or so you say. But you still use oil. That is, oil is used on your behalf. Oil is used to grow the food you eat and to get it close enough to you so that you can buy it. And you’d better believe that uses oil. Using electricity uses oil. (Making solar panels uses oil.) You even have to oil your bicycle chain from time to time, don’t you? I know I do.
Unless you are part of an indigenous tribe in the upper reaches of the Amazon or the Congo, you use oil. And even then, I have to wonder. Any contact with the outside world, and ta-da! You are using oil. Now, it’s true that as that oil starts to go away, you will use less oil, and less oil will be used on your behalf, but trust me on this one: You use oil. Even the Amish use oil, and they are about as oil-free as it gets in the first world. That’s what’s going to make this peak oil thing so very annoying. It’s going to mess with everyone – some more than others, but all us before it’s over. Peak oil is very democratic. Universal, you might say.
I own several gasoline-powered items. I do use electricity. I like to eat. I use oil. I know that the time will come when there will be less oil for me to use, so I plan accordingly, or at least try to tell myself that I do. Still, even I have to admit that it is very easy to just jump in the truck and go. Or turn on a light or get a quick bite to eat. And all of these things take oil. All of these things are why we use so very much oil in our day to day lives, even when we try not to. We just can’t help ourselves. Some day we’re going to have to scale back.
I hope you're ready.
Unless you are part of an indigenous tribe in the upper reaches of the Amazon or the Congo, you use oil. And even then, I have to wonder. Any contact with the outside world, and ta-da! You are using oil. Now, it’s true that as that oil starts to go away, you will use less oil, and less oil will be used on your behalf, but trust me on this one: You use oil. Even the Amish use oil, and they are about as oil-free as it gets in the first world. That’s what’s going to make this peak oil thing so very annoying. It’s going to mess with everyone – some more than others, but all us before it’s over. Peak oil is very democratic. Universal, you might say.
I own several gasoline-powered items. I do use electricity. I like to eat. I use oil. I know that the time will come when there will be less oil for me to use, so I plan accordingly, or at least try to tell myself that I do. Still, even I have to admit that it is very easy to just jump in the truck and go. Or turn on a light or get a quick bite to eat. And all of these things take oil. All of these things are why we use so very much oil in our day to day lives, even when we try not to. We just can’t help ourselves. Some day we’re going to have to scale back.
I hope you're ready.
Friday, July 23, 2010
What are the Chinese up to, really?
Ah, those crazy, madcap Chinese. So wise. So inscrutable. So very many of them. What are they playing at, do you suppose? For as long as I have been reading (and writing) about peak oil, I have been reading about the Chinese, and their wild push to Westernize. More cars! More roads! More power! But why? They hate the West. Why would they want to emulate a culture they find offensive? Wrong question.
The question to ask is this: Why are the Chinese so bent on using up all of the oil? I’ve long had my suspicions, so I have to ask: Do they know what they are doing? The Chinese, with well over a billion people milling about, can easily ramp up their oil use and seriously hasten the downside of global oil product after it peaks. And then they can keep demanding more oil until they force the depletion curve over a cliff. But why would they want to do that? Why would they want to do the very thing that would pretty much speed the end of Western civilization as we know it? Oh, wait – I just answered my own question there, didn’t I?
The Chinese produce something like 40 million bicycles a year. They were, until recently, quite the total bicycle society. They have functional mass transit and low energy homes. Their population is not used to being Western, so even now, it would be very easy for the Chinese to revert back to their original low-oil lifestyle with very little disruption. They could use up all the oil, ruin the West, and go right back to being Chinese and never bat an eye. They would, though, quietly smile, knowing what they had done.
The funny thing is, there’s not a thing you or I can do about it. They can play the “We want to be like you!” game until oil goes to $400 a barrel, and no one will think anything of it. No one will think to blame them. At some point, we will all be too busy fending for ourselves to see what happened and why – and who sped up the drop. But now you know: In the big dinner plate of life, we are General Tso’s Chicken.
Pass the soy sauce, Yuan.
The question to ask is this: Why are the Chinese so bent on using up all of the oil? I’ve long had my suspicions, so I have to ask: Do they know what they are doing? The Chinese, with well over a billion people milling about, can easily ramp up their oil use and seriously hasten the downside of global oil product after it peaks. And then they can keep demanding more oil until they force the depletion curve over a cliff. But why would they want to do that? Why would they want to do the very thing that would pretty much speed the end of Western civilization as we know it? Oh, wait – I just answered my own question there, didn’t I?
The Chinese produce something like 40 million bicycles a year. They were, until recently, quite the total bicycle society. They have functional mass transit and low energy homes. Their population is not used to being Western, so even now, it would be very easy for the Chinese to revert back to their original low-oil lifestyle with very little disruption. They could use up all the oil, ruin the West, and go right back to being Chinese and never bat an eye. They would, though, quietly smile, knowing what they had done.
The funny thing is, there’s not a thing you or I can do about it. They can play the “We want to be like you!” game until oil goes to $400 a barrel, and no one will think anything of it. No one will think to blame them. At some point, we will all be too busy fending for ourselves to see what happened and why – and who sped up the drop. But now you know: In the big dinner plate of life, we are General Tso’s Chicken.
Pass the soy sauce, Yuan.
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
The gloves come off. The claws come out.
You know me. I’m a nice guy, more than willing to give everyone the benefit of the doubt. But if there is no doubt? Watch out.
On December 21, 1988, Pan Am Flight 103, from London to New York, blew up over Lockerbie, Scotland. Two hundred and seventy people lost their lives. In January of 2001, Abdelbaset Ali Mohaned Al Megrahi, a Libyan, was convicted of the bombing and sentenced to life in prison for the event. He was serving that sentence when a doctor examined him, proclaimed that he had advanced prostate cancer, and should be released on humanitarian grounds and returned to Libya to live his last days. He was released in August 2009 and returned to a hero's welcome. As of July of 2010, Megrahi is alive and well.
Now, as it turns out, Megrahi’s examination, diagnosis and repatriation were all arranged by British Petroleum in return for some consideration by Libya for a deal with BP for oil rights in that country. And that subtle shaking noise you just heard beneath your feet? That would be the Devil himself, shuddering in disgust. Even the Prince of Darkness, it seems, has higher moral standards than British Petroleum.
It’s one thing to screw up out of greed and laziness and corner-cutting and have your oil rig blow up. It’s quite another to go considerably out of your way to aid a convicted terrorist and a very unpleasant regime that quite honestly hates you anyway, just because you think you can make some money off the deal. Money made over two hundred and seventy dead bodies. Money made because you freed their murderer, and you didn’t even agree with him or his ideology. You just wanted the chance to make the money, with no concern for honor, pride, ethics or morals. This takes it to a whole new level. British Petroleum is neither lazy nor greedy. British Petroleum is pure evil.
Now it’s true that various elected officials here in the United States are looking into BP’s actions, but we are talking about things that happened in other countries, so there was really no crime committed here on US soil – unless you count the very presence of BP itself, and I do. And by now, you know merely boycotting your local BP station will have no impact whatsoever on BP the corporation. In a perfect world, which this is obviously not, BP would be removed from the US and all of its upper management, world-wide, required to finish the terms of Megrahi’s life sentence. Every last one of them. But that’s not going to happen, either. The Scottish Government will “look in to it,” as will ours, and, in the end, it comes down to this: They got away with it. BP got the guy out of prison and got him sent home, where he lives to this day. At some point, BP will quietly begin its oil operation in Libya, and at some point, someone’s going to be driving around with gasoline that should be dyed very blood red to reflect its true source.
And when it comes to British Petroleum, even the Devil has to step back in awe.
On December 21, 1988, Pan Am Flight 103, from London to New York, blew up over Lockerbie, Scotland. Two hundred and seventy people lost their lives. In January of 2001, Abdelbaset Ali Mohaned Al Megrahi, a Libyan, was convicted of the bombing and sentenced to life in prison for the event. He was serving that sentence when a doctor examined him, proclaimed that he had advanced prostate cancer, and should be released on humanitarian grounds and returned to Libya to live his last days. He was released in August 2009 and returned to a hero's welcome. As of July of 2010, Megrahi is alive and well.
Now, as it turns out, Megrahi’s examination, diagnosis and repatriation were all arranged by British Petroleum in return for some consideration by Libya for a deal with BP for oil rights in that country. And that subtle shaking noise you just heard beneath your feet? That would be the Devil himself, shuddering in disgust. Even the Prince of Darkness, it seems, has higher moral standards than British Petroleum.
It’s one thing to screw up out of greed and laziness and corner-cutting and have your oil rig blow up. It’s quite another to go considerably out of your way to aid a convicted terrorist and a very unpleasant regime that quite honestly hates you anyway, just because you think you can make some money off the deal. Money made over two hundred and seventy dead bodies. Money made because you freed their murderer, and you didn’t even agree with him or his ideology. You just wanted the chance to make the money, with no concern for honor, pride, ethics or morals. This takes it to a whole new level. British Petroleum is neither lazy nor greedy. British Petroleum is pure evil.
Now it’s true that various elected officials here in the United States are looking into BP’s actions, but we are talking about things that happened in other countries, so there was really no crime committed here on US soil – unless you count the very presence of BP itself, and I do. And by now, you know merely boycotting your local BP station will have no impact whatsoever on BP the corporation. In a perfect world, which this is obviously not, BP would be removed from the US and all of its upper management, world-wide, required to finish the terms of Megrahi’s life sentence. Every last one of them. But that’s not going to happen, either. The Scottish Government will “look in to it,” as will ours, and, in the end, it comes down to this: They got away with it. BP got the guy out of prison and got him sent home, where he lives to this day. At some point, BP will quietly begin its oil operation in Libya, and at some point, someone’s going to be driving around with gasoline that should be dyed very blood red to reflect its true source.
And when it comes to British Petroleum, even the Devil has to step back in awe.
Monday, July 12, 2010
A sheep in wolf's clothing
I can make myself invisible any time I want. I did it the other day, and it was great. I got tons of stuff done with no interruptions. No one bothered me at all. Matter of fact, people went out of their way to not see me. All I had to do was wear my BP shirt.
The Lovely JoAnn and I usually go top off our truck’s gas tank every Saturday morning after we have breakfast at Tory’s Café. Charlie’s BP station is just down the road from the café, on the corner of Highland and Belleair, and we know everyone there. It’s a Saturday morning ritual. One morning awhile back I was talking to Nan, their Saturday morning attendant, and she said she forgot to take off her BP logo shirt before she went grocery shopping, and couldn’t believe how easy it was to shop when people made a mad scramble to get away from you. Oh, really? Oh, really. Oh, I’ve got to try this. She found us a couple of shirts, and I gave it a go. It was great. People saw that shirt and couldn’t get away fast enough. I was like a seeping leper with a big grin, looking to shake their hand. It was hilarious. I got stuff done.
Of course, I had also told Nan that Charlie should be putting the monthly franchise fees that he normally pays to BP in an escrow account, seeing as how that “paying for the corporate goodwill” thing isn’t exactly working out these days. He’s really paying for being a BP station now, in many, many different ways. And I don’t see that changing for the better any time soon.
So here’s the deal: If you do happen to see someone walking around in a BP shirt, give ‘em a smile. Odds are it wasn’t their fault. Odds are they just work for a local gas station, and they got caught up in it just like everyone else. They are just as worried and angered by it all as you are - maybe more so, considering the extra level of poo they have to put up with these days, just for working for a franchised store. (They probably don’t even really work for BP itself.) So cut them some slack. It’s not like they’re clubbing baby seals. (Unless, of course, they are.)
As for me, I’ve got my BP shirt anytime I want to travel unnoticed and get things done. I can set high-speed shopping records in the grocery store and cruise through the mall unmolested by the kiosk crews. It really does work wonders, but I do draw the line: I won’t wear my BP shirt to the beach. No way.
Friday, July 9, 2010
Radio Interview 7/8/10
Check it out...had a great time doing it; hope you enjoy listening. We talked about the Deepwater Horizon, peak oil, my forthcoming book, Peak of the Devil: 100 Questions (and answers) About Peak Oil, and Jimmy Buffett.
Click here to listen.
Click here to listen.
Wednesday, July 7, 2010
Peak of the Devil: Part One
The first mention I saw of the Deepwater Horizon’s demise was a small item on The Drudge Report, probably the day after it happened, April 21st. I remember I wrote down the date it blew up, April 20th, on a piece of paper, in case I needed to know it later. It seemed curiously important at the time, although, from that first article, you might not have known it at the time.
About two weeks later, as it all began to unfold, I pedaled down to the beach and collected some sand in a jar. The following Monday I gave this letter to the local newspaper:
Editor:
That jar of pure white sand is still right there on my workbench, labeled “Clearwater Beach, May 2, 2010”. And for now, over two months later, the beach is still ok. However: If you look at a map of Florida and the Gulf of Mexico, you can see that the part of western Florida that sticks out in to the Gulf the most is, in fact, Clearwater Beach. The same Gulf currents that give us that beautiful sand will also send us that ugly oil. It’s only a matter of time. At least my sand is safe.
We’re used to watching hurricanes as they slowly roll across the ocean and there’s not a thing you can do about them. This is a lot like that, but unlike hurricanes, this is entirely our own fault. We can’t blame Mother Nature for this one.
Stay tuned.
About two weeks later, as it all began to unfold, I pedaled down to the beach and collected some sand in a jar. The following Monday I gave this letter to the local newspaper:
Editor:
I’ve buried both parents and I buried my dog. I’ve said goodbye to people I didn’t want to leave and I’ve left places when I didn’t want to go. Last Sunday morning I pedaled my bicycle to Clearwater Beach and locked it up at Pier 60. I walked out on the sand south of the pier and filled a small jar with pure, perfect, brilliant white sand. I put the jar back in my pack and pedaled home. It was the saddest thing I’ve ever done.
I know all things change, but to see all of this change for the worse, for nothing less than laziness and greed, is an astounding disappointment and a thorough condemnation of our misguided priorities. I won’t say I didn’t look back. The view from the top of the bridge is still beautiful - but for how much longer? A week? A month?
That jar of pure white sand is still right there on my workbench, labeled “Clearwater Beach, May 2, 2010”. And for now, over two months later, the beach is still ok. However: If you look at a map of Florida and the Gulf of Mexico, you can see that the part of western Florida that sticks out in to the Gulf the most is, in fact, Clearwater Beach. The same Gulf currents that give us that beautiful sand will also send us that ugly oil. It’s only a matter of time. At least my sand is safe.
We’re used to watching hurricanes as they slowly roll across the ocean and there’s not a thing you can do about them. This is a lot like that, but unlike hurricanes, this is entirely our own fault. We can’t blame Mother Nature for this one.
Stay tuned.
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