I'm not certain how many of you are aware of it, but a major chunk of the petroleum consumed in the United States comes from Canada, not the middle East. Canada is a major oil producing country (so why is gasoline more expensive here than in the U.S.?) and produces both standard oil and also oil from tar sands that is sold to the United States. They are a major supplier to America.
Now the tar sands have great potential of providing up to about 37% of Americas needs. There is also the standard petroleum produced.
The problems with the Canadian tar sands are that it takes energy to convert the tar to oil, the conversion process produces a lot of greenhouse gas, and the byproducts of that production are toxic wastes.
I found a good article in Slate this morning that logically weighs the trade-offs and solutions and the future of expanding Canadian production is looking great.
Living on Canada's Oil Must we really choose between energy security and a climate disaster? Also, remember that Russia has more oil than anyone else in the world has left. I would love to see a pipeline run across Russia to Okhotsk and a tanker marina set up. Or a pipeline through Petropavlovsk and across the Bering Strait to Alaska.
I would much rather see my dollar bolstering the Canadian dollar or the Ruble, than the Riyal or the Bolivar.
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Comments: 9
More oil is NOT the answer. It's a FINITE resource, and a polluting fuel.
Chuck, I agree that oil isn't THE answer, but until we have a different energy infrastructure, we will continue to need oil. I'd much rather see it come from Canada, Alaska, off-shore of the US, etc, than from the Middle East.
Amen Sister.
Tammy N has my vote too!
I would love to see the USA independent of oil, period. There are many unused resources that can provide for our needs. We have a stuck up crowd here, so we continue to rape mother earth and ignore future prospects that are in front of our faces. Hemp seed can produce all that we need.
You aren't the first person I have heard mention this. I really don't know much about it though. Has there ever been a study that shows the amount of hemp seed that would need harvested annually to meet the US's current demand for energy? How much land would need to be used to grow the crop? If it wasn't done organically, seems like we'd be trading one problem for another... environmentally speaking anyway. Just random thoughts at this point....
Yes, there have been seversal studies. It is more cost effective than growing corn for ethanol, but, because it is a distant relative of marijuana, the U.S. government won't allow it. There is a Canadian website at http://www.hempcar.org where they run a vehicle totally on hemp.
You opened up a can of worms here I'm afraid my friend. I agree with you, but as you can see from the comments above me, there are many that don't.
Interesting! Thanks David
Guess that's why a big pipeline was built from upper Wyoming into New Mexico, makes sense now. (had a friend on that project)
I too would rather "see my dollar bolstering the Canadian dollar or the Ruble, than the Riyal or the Bolivar"
David, until we can run our cars on wind energy, we really don't have much choice. Have faith, we'll get there someday. Try to hold on.