Tonight, there was a show on PBS about nuclear proliferation. It gave a history of the use of nuclear weapons and a list of all of the countries that either have the weapon (like North Korea) or are very much trying to get it (like Iran).
The show made the point of how mideast oil wealth is being used to try to buy uranium and nuclear technology to create the weapon. The Department Of Energy estimates that in the last 30 years, imported oil has resulted in a loss of $3.4 trillion to the U.S. economy. That HUGE number of dollars went some where. A bunch of it ended up in the mideast controlled by a few repressive regimes; not where the wealth is benefiting the people but where the wealth is being used to promote personal power.
So...as of last week, I have switched to using biodiesel (made in America) in my VW Golf TDI. It does cost me more money. I pay $2.50/gal for biodiesel. I figure I will spend about $15-20/month more than what it used to cost me for gasoline in my Honda Civic. For this small premium, I can stop worrying about:
My fuel dollars going to fund terrorism.
My trips to the mall increasing global climate disruption.
Using up a finite supply of fuel...stealing from our children.
Super-tankers rupturing on a reef destroying ocean habitat.
My actions causing americans to die, defending the flow of oil.
My fuel dollars going to fund nuclear proliferation.
If I ever feel like I can't afford that premium, I can always make my own biodiesel in my garage for about 40 cents/gallon and start saving money in addition to being able to sleep well at night. I wouldn't have to use biodiesel to stop importing oil...I could get an EV (if I could buy one). My choice, at this time, is biodiesel.
The show made the point of how mideast oil wealth is being used to try to buy uranium and nuclear technology to create the weapon. The Department Of Energy estimates that in the last 30 years, imported oil has resulted in a loss of $3.4 trillion to the U.S. economy. That HUGE number of dollars went some where. A bunch of it ended up in the mideast controlled by a few repressive regimes; not where the wealth is benefiting the people but where the wealth is being used to promote personal power.
So...as of last week, I have switched to using biodiesel (made in America) in my VW Golf TDI. It does cost me more money. I pay $2.50/gal for biodiesel. I figure I will spend about $15-20/month more than what it used to cost me for gasoline in my Honda Civic. For this small premium, I can stop worrying about:
My fuel dollars going to fund terrorism.
My trips to the mall increasing global climate disruption.
Using up a finite supply of fuel...stealing from our children.
Super-tankers rupturing on a reef destroying ocean habitat.
My actions causing americans to die, defending the flow of oil.
My fuel dollars going to fund nuclear proliferation.
If I ever feel like I can't afford that premium, I can always make my own biodiesel in my garage for about 40 cents/gallon and start saving money in addition to being able to sleep well at night. I wouldn't have to use biodiesel to stop importing oil...I could get an EV (if I could buy one). My choice, at this time, is biodiesel.