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GW Bush: "...diversify away from oil"

Objective Voice

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In a speech given before the American Wind Energy Association, former Pres. GW Bush told the conference audience:

"It's in our [nation's] economic interests that we diversify away from oil."

Read more: Bush suggests diversification away from oil at wind energy conference - Environment - MiamiHerald.com

I must admit I'm shocked! He's a oil man, right? I mean, the speculation that he took this country to war w/Iraq for oil aside, as best I can recall not once while he was in office did he attempt to put forth an energy package that included alternative energy solutions the way Pres. Obama has. So, I was very surprised when I came across the article (linked above) where he actually embraces alternative energy sources and actually advocated moving away from fossil fuels in the near future as early as within the next generation! The irony of it all!!

The sad thing is people are still downing Pres. Obama for wanting this country to shift away from our dependence on big oil and look towards renewable energy sources even while his predecessor is supporting such moves. Can Republicans continue to say no to a new energy strategy in light of hearing their former party leader embrace it? Stay tuned...
 
In a speech given before the American Wind Energy Association, former Pres. GW Bush told the conference audience:



I must admit I'm shocked! He's a oil man, right? I mean, the speculation that he took this country to war w/Iraq for oil aside, as best I can recall not once while he was in office did he attempt to put forth an energy package that included alternative energy solutions the way Pres. Obama has. So, I was very surprised when I came across the article (linked above) where he actually embraces alternative energy sources and actually advocated moving away from fossil fuels in the near future as early as within the next generation! The irony of it all!!

The sad thing is people are still downing Pres. Obama for wanting this country to shift away from our dependence on big oil and look towards renewable energy sources even while his predecessor is supporting such moves. Can Republicans continue to say no to a new energy strategy in light of hearing their former party leader embrace it? Stay tuned...

You do realize even people like myself agree we should move away from oil. But do so based on market forces, efficiency and other factors. Which it appears he's going along those same lines. Perhaps if you didn't buy into the "Right wingers hate the planet pollution for ALL" BS this story wouldn't have surprised you.
 
hmm...so we need to wait for a demand for green power to invest in it? bullhockey. you would think this current disaster of unequaled proportions would convince even the staunchest right wingers that change, yes CHANGE, is needed.
 
hmm...so we need to wait for a demand for green power to invest in it? bullhockey. you would think this current disaster of unequaled proportions would convince even the staunchest right wingers that change, yes CHANGE, is needed.


You really REALLY REALLY need to quit buying into the hyperbole. And the BS Rhetoric. What you need is perspective:

2. Ixtoc 1 Oil Spill - June 3, 1979 - March 23, 1980
Location: Bay of Campeche off Ciudad del Carmen, Mexico
Amount of Oil Spilled: 140 million gallons

This oil spill didn't involve a tanker, but rather an offshore oil well. Pemex, a state-owned Mexican petroleum company was drilling an oil well when a blowout occurred. The oil ignited causing the drilling rig to collapse. Oil began gushing out of the well into the Gulf of Mexico at a rate of 10,000 to 30,000 barrels a day for almost an entire year beforeworkers were finally able to cap the well and stop the leak.

1. Arabian Gulf/Kuwait - January 19, 1991
Location: Persian Gulf, Kuwait
Amount of Oil Spilled: 380-520 million gallons

Ironically, the worst oil spill in human history wasn't the result of an accident. During the Gulf War, Iraqi forces, attempting to thwart a potential landing of American soldiers, opened the valves at an offshore oil terminal and dumped oil from several tankers. The oil they released created a 4-inch thick oil slick that covered 4000 square miles. To put it in perspective, that's enough oil to cover the entire state of Rhode Island one foot deep in oil.

How does the Exxon Valdez oil spill rank in comparison?
When the Exxon Valdez ran aground on March 24, 1989 off the coast of Alaska, it spilled 10.8 million gallons of oil along 1100 miles of Alaskan coast. The spill could have been much worse - the Valdez was carrying 53 million gallons.

In terms of sheer volume, the Exxon Valdez spill ranks as the 35th worst oil spill in history. As frightening as that spill was, it's even more frightening to consider that there are 34 oil spills even worse.
The Worst Major Oil Spills in History, Page 3 of 3 - Associated Content - associatedcontent.com

And from a more RECENT source:

The oil gushing from the well where the Deepwater Horizon oil rig exploded and sank is now spreading through the Gulf of Mexico. Oil spills can kill wildlife, pollute the air and water, and alter the ecosystem for years to come. Many of us think of the Exxon Valdez oil spill as a particularly bad one, but with about 42,800 tons of oil spilled, it doesn't rank as one of the 10 worst ever.
Top 10 worst oil spills - Environment- msnbc.com
 
Moving away from oil is like fixing social security. It's been really, really obvious for a long time that it needs to happen, but don't hold your breath.
 
Moving away from oil is like fixing social security. It's been really, really obvious for a long time that it needs to happen, but don't hold your breath.

No... there isn't a solution for oil that will work without causing serious detrimental effects to our standard of living.
 
No... there isn't a solution for oil that will work without causing serious detrimental effects to our standard of living.

Brazil switched to ethanol and they seem to have a booming economy. Natural gas might be a solution for us.
 
are you forgetting that as we write that rig is still spewing oil at a pace of 2.5 million gallons a DAY? that's approximately equal to 8500 tons per day or 60,000 barrels. bp estimate, btw, and we are nowhere near a solution. already spilled equals 19-39 million gallons, arguable a very low estimate.


as for the top ten, which was in american waters? one?

Gulf War oil spill: 1,360,000 -1,500,000 tons
The worst oil spill in history, the Gulf War oil spill spewed an estimated 8 million barrels of oil into the Persian Gulf after Iraqi forces opened valves of oil wells and pipelines as they retreated from Kuwait in 1991. The oil slick reached a maximum size of 101 miles by 42 miles and was five inches thick.



and what about the COST? i would bet this will be one of the costliest ever, entire economies will be wiped out. but thanks for donwplaying this. tell sarah i said hello.
 
Brazil switched to ethanol and they seem to have a booming economy. Natural gas might be a solution for us.

....

Somehow, I don't think you quite understand what Brazil did. They still use oil, quite a bit. And the situation is unique for them, that solution cannot translate to the planet.
 
are you forgetting that as we write that rig is still spewing oil at a pace of 2.5 million gallons a DAY? that's approximately equal to 8500 tons per day or 60,000 barrels. bp estimate, btw, and we are nowhere near a solution. already spilled equals 19-39 million gallons, arguable a very low estimate.


as for the top ten, which was in american waters? one?

Gulf War oil spill: 1,360,000 -1,500,000 tons
The worst oil spill in history, the Gulf War oil spill spewed an estimated 8 million barrels of oil into the Persian Gulf after Iraqi forces opened valves of oil wells and pipelines as they retreated from Kuwait in 1991. The oil slick reached a maximum size of 101 miles by 42 miles and was five inches thick.



and what about the COST? i would bet this will be one of the costliest ever, entire economies will be wiped out. but thanks for donwplaying this. tell sarah i said hello.

I offered links, and facts, you offer... bad math and emotionally charged opinion.
 
In a speech given before the American Wind Energy Association, former Pres. GW Bush told the conference audience:



I must admit I'm shocked! He's a oil man, right? I mean, the speculation that he took this country to war w/Iraq for oil aside, as best I can recall not once while he was in office did he attempt to put forth an energy package that included alternative energy solutions the way Pres. Obama has. So, I was very surprised when I came across the article (linked above) where he actually embraces alternative energy sources and actually advocated moving away from fossil fuels in the near future as early as within the next generation! The irony of it all!!

The sad thing is people are still downing Pres. Obama for wanting this country to shift away from our dependence on big oil and look towards renewable energy sources even while his predecessor is supporting such moves. Can Republicans continue to say no to a new energy strategy in light of hearing their former party leader embrace it? Stay tuned...





Well if this ain't a spiffy strawman you have built here. :ssst:



Bush talked of alternative energy such as hydrogen for quite some time.


Which republicans are saying "no" to which energy strategy? link please.
 
where is the bad math, v? huh?

The Size of the Spill

5,000 to 60,000 barrels a day: Rate at which oil is leaking from the Deepwater Horizon rig. Some experts now believe that original estimates of 5,000 barrels a day (that's 210,000 gallons) were way off. And BP says that it's likely that the leak rate is around 60,000 barrels (2.5 million gallons) a day. (Source: Los Angeles Times)



Read more: Gulf Oil Spill Statistics - BP Gulf Oil Spill Facts - thedailygreen.com
 
where is the bad math, v? huh?

The Size of the Spill

5,000 to 60,000 barrels a day: Rate at which oil is leaking from the Deepwater Horizon rig. Some experts now believe that original estimates of 5,000 barrels a day (that's 210,000 gallons) were way off. And BP says that it's likely that the leak rate is around 60,000 barrels (2.5 million gallons) a day. (Source: Los Angeles Times)



Read more: Gulf Oil Spill Statistics - BP Gulf Oil Spill Facts - thedailygreen.com

That's better, an actual SOURCE! Though, I do love that you use "thedailygreen.com" "Some experts" eh?
 
hmm...so we need to wait for a demand for green power to invest in it? bullhockey. you would think this current disaster of unequaled proportions would convince even the staunchest right wingers that change, yes CHANGE, is needed.

Indeed. Germany jumped into solar technology back in 2000 and they are reaping the benefits. Not only is it good for the environment but:

Last year, German exports accounted for 15 percent of worldwide sales of solar panels and other photovoltaic equipment, according to industry officials. German companies hope to double their share of the global market, which amounted to $9.5 billion last year and is growing by about 20 percent annually, said Carsten Koernig, managing director of the German Solar Industry Association, a trade and lobbying group.

Cloudy Germany a Powerhouse in Solar Energy - washingtonpost.com

They didn't wait and now they are way ahead in the market. That article is a bit dated, but it just shows what initiative and foresight will do for a country.


No... there isn't a solution for oil that will work without causing serious detrimental effects to our standard of living.

Look at the link I gave Liblady. Had the Bush administration taken some note of what Germany was doing and acted then, be it solar panels, wind, natural gas, whatever, and then made a comprehensive energy plan, the U.S. would have been ahead of the game too. Instead, we got this:

The energy bill provides tax breaks and other incentives to encourage new nuclear plants, cleaner-burning coal facilities, and production of more oil and natural gas. It also offers incentives to produce energy from wind and other renewable sources and to make homes and office buildings more efficient.

"It's Christmas in August for big energy, and consumers get lumps of coal," said Anna Aurilio, legislative director for U.S. PIRG, an advocacy group that works on environmental and consumer issues.

The bill exempts oil and gas industries from some clean-water laws, streamlines permits for oil wells and power lines on public lands, and helps the hydropower industry appeal environmental restrictions. One provision would repeal a Depression-era law that has prevented consolidation of public utilities, potentially transforming the nation's electricity market.

The law also seeks to increase another kind of imported energy: liquefied natural gas. The legislation gives the federal government ultimate authority to approve new liquefied natural gas terminals, which supporters said would lead to more being approved.

...

Analysts said the biggest step lawmakers could have taken to reduce foreign oil dependence would have been to increase vehicle mileage standards. But Congress rejected that approach, saying doing so would result in the loss of U.S. auto jobs and the production of vehicles that are unsafe -- arguments disputed by environmentalists and some analysts. Instead, lawmakers focused on fixes backed by powerful lobbies and influential constituencies. Ethanol, for instance, is a big winner under the new law because it is often produced from corn, a popular and plentiful crop in the Midwest, where many states are considered up for grabs in next year's election.


Bush Signs Energy Bill, Cheers Steps Toward Self-Sufficiency - washingtonpost.com


It's a shame Governor Bush was more forward thinking than President Bush:

The White House has raised several objections to the breakthrough energy bill recently negotiated by House leaders. But there’s an interesting and ironic backstory to one of these complaints....

What the letter does not say, and what the White House would rather we not remember, is that as governor of Texas, Mr. Bush enthusiastically signed into law a renewable electricity mandate that was part of a broader bill encouraging deregulation and greater competition in the utility industry.

This 1999 mandate was extraordinarily forward-looking for its time (22 states have such mandates now) and the results were immediate. Texas now produces more wind power than any other state, to the great benefit of consumers of electricity and farmers who rent out their land for the giant turbines that create the power. Texas actually accounted for more than half the new wind energy installed nationwide this year.

Bush’s Alternative Energy Flip-Flop - The Board Blog - NYTimes.com
 
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That's better, an actual SOURCE! Though, I do love that you use "thedailygreen.com" "Some experts" eh?

again, v......the SOURCE is the LA Times. and if you can't refute my math, you owe me an apology. you don't debate very well, you know.
 
....

Somehow, I don't think you quite understand what Brazil did. They still use oil, quite a bit. And the situation is unique for them, that solution cannot translate to the planet.

Obviously you did not notice how I recommended natural gas as a possible option for the US.
 
Obviously you did not notice how I recommended natural gas as a possible option for the US.

We have natural gas in pretty good quantities, especially out in the Rockies IIRC. It's a bit cleaner than oil and a lot cleaner than coal (especially when it comes to the nastier emissions like sulfur and mercury). It might make a decent supplement because the technology for a natural gas power plant already exists. It doesn't make a very good fuel source for vehicles, as you must compress it to store it in a gas tank. Compressed gasses add more hazards to the mix, although in this case it's not a huge one.

Nuclear, Nuclear, Nuclear. There's enough uranium to power humanity's entire energy needs for literally thousands of years. Fossil fuels are nice, they've served us well, but they're starting to lose out in sheer volume. Other sources like solar, wind, hydro, or geothermal energy are nice supplements also, but they are limited to niche markets, and have even lower energy densities than fossil fuels. These sources are like trying to dig the grand canyon with shovels. Yeah, the shovels are nice to have, but we're going to need some heavy machinery.
 
Isn't it plainly obvious by now that the reason the U.S. isn't at least trying to make a green energy supplement is that the fossil fuel industries are lobbying government to stop it?

You are missing out on the chance of a lifetime to reap the benefits of the upcoming green economy.
 
Obviously you did not notice how I recommended natural gas as a possible option for the US.

It's not a solution, so I ignored your comment. Can Natural Gas be used in more ways then it is now, of course. But as an oil replacement... no.
 
We have natural gas in pretty good quantities, especially out in the Rockies IIRC. It's a bit cleaner than oil and a lot cleaner than coal (especially when it comes to the nastier emissions like sulfur and mercury). It might make a decent supplement because the technology for a natural gas power plant already exists. It doesn't make a very good fuel source for vehicles, as you must compress it to store it in a gas tank. Compressed gasses add more hazards to the mix, although in this case it's not a huge one. .

When I lived on a ranch we had duel fuel pick ups. Never a problem with them and I bet better storage tech could be come with.
 
again, v......the SOURCE is the LA Times. and if you can't refute my math, you owe me an apology. you don't debate very well, you know.

No, the bad math was covered by your other post. You don't debate at all, you just post emotionally driven drivel and demand people agree with you. This spill in the Gulf, yes it's bad, but it's no where NEAR being the level you spaz posted it was.

You owe BP an apology just for lying about how bad this leak is.
 
No, the bad math was covered by your other post. You don't debate at all, you just post emotionally driven drivel and demand people agree with you. This spill in the Gulf, yes it's bad, but it's no where NEAR being the level you spaz posted it was.

You owe BP an apology just for lying about how bad this leak is.

WHAT bad math? where? bp provided the estimate, not me. prove your assertion.
 
WHAT bad math? where? bp provided the estimate, not me. prove your assertion.

See you're still stuck on the math thing instead of admitting that the spill isn't nearly as bad your panic-driven posting claims it is.

(the bad math, was a hit against you for not providing a link. It was obvious you were posting from a cut and paste job without referencing it... care to continue whining about the bad math comment and be exposed further for your poor posting practice? Your attempt to post as if you had written those words and not cut and pasted the whole thing from another site)
 
See you're still stuck on the math thing instead of admitting that the spill isn't nearly as bad your panic-driven posting claims it is.

(the bad math, was a hit against you for not providing a link. It was obvious you were posting from a cut and paste job without referencing it... care to continue whining about the bad math comment and be exposed further for your poor posting practice? Your attempt to post as if you had written those words and not cut and pasted the whole thing from another site)

so, clearly, there was no bad math. you lose, mr. v. bad math and not posting a link are 2 different things. i bolded those words, to show they were not mine. how awful of me. again, FAIL.

again, you owe me an apology, but i won't hold my breath. i've yet to see you admit when you are wrong.
 
so, clearly, there was no bad math. you lose, mr. v. bad math and not posting a link are 2 different things. i bolded those words, to show they were not mine. how awful of me. again, FAIL.

again, you owe me an apology, but i won't hold my breath. i've yet to see you admit when you are wrong.


I'm sorry I didn't call you out for trying to pass quotes and numbers that others wrote more bluntly. I'm sorry you chose to "Bold" with no link ot the source in hopes people would think you came up with all those numbers on your own.

I'll GLADLY be the guy that didn't apologize for accusing you of "Bad Math" instead of just calling you out for plagiarizing. You can be the chicken little that said:
hmm...so we need to wait for a demand for green power to invest in it? bullhockey. you would think this current disaster of unequaled proportions would convince even the staunchest right wingers that change, yes CHANGE, is needed.

Carry on about the math comment Lib, keep trying to hide from your lies.
 
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