According to a recent CNN Opinion Poll, 74% of Americans are in favor of offshore drilling. While still split 49% to 44% on prioritizing the environment and the economy. In The Swamp, a Chicago Tribune Weblog, Matthew Hay Brown reports this survey is the latest one showing rising support for drilling, from consumers who are tired of rising gas prices.
The CNN/Opinion Research poll was conducted from June 26th – 29th and included more than 1,000 Americans showed the following:
- 49% of Americans favor environmental protection, even if it means slowing economic growth
- 44% of those surveyed place the economy as their top priority, even at the expense of the environment
- 73% favor more offshore drilling for natural gas and oil
Previously on June 19th CNN reported Gallup Poll findings that support their more recent opinion poll. The Gallup Poll results showed more than half of Americans favor drilling in areas that are currently off limits such as coastal and wilderness areas. Why? Is this really a “drill our way out” mentality? Cathy Landry, American Petroleum Institute spokeswoman stated:
“Any credible energy report will tell you energy demand will increase over the next few decades, we cannot drill our way out of this problem, but drilling is an important part of the solution.”
In addition to major environmental concerns, another concern about domestic drilling is having the mentality that we must fill the oil demand we currently live with and continue to fill the demand as it increases over time. Finding ways to reduce our oil consumption seems to be contradictory to drilling domestically. However, I would like propose drilling domestically could allow us to decrease our oil consumption over time. Allowing us to gain independence from foreign oil, and focus on alternative energy options. Under the guidelines and leadership of environmentalists and agencies such as the Environmental Protection Agency, I believe Americans are capable of drilling domestically in an environmentally safe way.
Our presidential front runners recently had the opportunity to speak out about off shore drilling as President Bush called for lifting the ban currently in place. As a result we learned Barack Obama does not want to consider any domestic drilling, while John McCain spoke out in support of offshore drilling on the East Coast. A closed door to our domestic resources from one candidate and a politically convenient statement from the other. Despite which candidate you support, there is a need to take a realistic look at the economy and environment, this internal conflict is really shaping the upcoming election.
I like the words of deputy campaigns director of Greenpeace, Carroll Muffett:
“In truth, what is truly good for the environment is what is truly good for the economy, because a shift to better energy solutions would create jobs.”
She, of course, is not referring to any type of drilling but the concept of environment and economy going hand in hand. I agree with her thought process in that respect. Drilling domestically in America may not ever be considered “good for the environment” it can surely be part of the solution that can help the American economy and ultimately our pursuit of alternative energy.
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What a bunch of idiots…drilling for more oil is like the bushy doing the surge in Irak! You know that it is a political move and never produce lasting effects…but then that is whatr the US is all about, today's gratification today's bottom line, today, today, today. To H*** with tomorrow! Change your lifestyle guys…bring it closer in line with that of the rest of the developed world. After that is what you opted for when you started this globalization stuff…If the Indians are paying $4.95 per gallon of gas (with a 20% subsidy) what makes you think that gas should cost less than $6.00 per gallon? ($4.95+20%) Do the math and get off your high horse. You have lost the leadrership position in the world and even the moral position. You are now a Banana Republic (and thank your current leaders for that).
Thank you for writing this articulate, commonsense approach to solving our growing energy – and economic – problems.
We need to move forward on all fronts: more clean energy from solar and wind, more and better biofuels, more conservation, more energy efficiency, more drilling, and even more nuclear power plants. We celebrated Independence Day yesterday, but we have become dangerously dependent on foreign oil, international investment, and some very despicable regimes. Let's regain our independence!
This article is again spewing incorrect information. It is disguised as a balanced report even citing Greenpeace.
The environment and life goes hand in hand. The economy is a secondary benefit. Until we put curbs in place for the use of fossil fuels, nothing will happen until it is too late. Guess what? It is too late. It was too late the day we started driving Model Ts. There are technologies available now that may seem cost prohibitive if you see with the statement ' that the environment and economy' go hand in had. But if you change the statement to 'the environment and life as we know it go hand in hand' then the economy becomes a secondary goal. It is the survival of this planet and ALL life (not just the government officials and the rich humans) that is important.
The politicians are clueless. They are the uneducated and uninformed. The journalist's job is to educate and inform. Both have failed.
We have but one planet for the people who are living now, today. We need to have the urgency to fix it in this lifetime not 300 years from now.
There is no God who will intervene. It is fruitless to argue about that. We need to Intervene and ACT now
It is time to think about what we are doing to our home earth and start doing the smart things for our future. Drilling off our coast is not smart. And those who do cause damage are not held accountable. It is time to put full effort into clean energy and set the example for the rest of the world. We can and must do that for the sake of everyone and our future.
We need to take these polls with a grain of salt if they don't specify what questions were asked. Was the question "Do you support more drilling offshore?" Or was it "Do you support more drilling offshore, even if the oil won't start flowing for a decade or more and even if energy analysts don't expect U.S. offshore reserves to have any significant impact on prices?" Or perhaps "Do you support offshore drilling even though improvements in vehicle efficiency can lower prices far sooner than drilling?"
I'm guessing that CNN asked the first question.
Drilling is not the answer, listen to oil man Pickens, he says we cannot drill our way out of this crisis. This issue has been pushed by the white house and the right wing AM radio shock jocks. McCain is not the man of our times. His position on drilling and many other issues is out of tune with the American people and in line with corporate America. Check out this article: http://www.wclt.com/news/special/politics19810.ht…
This article has it right. Nobody says we can drill our way out immediately or long term, that is a ridiculous position to start from. It has to be part of a combined strategy, to attempt an energy revolution without any energy to power the transformation is a fools errand and shows how short-sighted we are and how we got in this mess to begin with.
In 10 years while T.Boone is paying 500% more for the wind turbines from China then he is today because of energy and demand (we cannot produce them here because the cost would be twice as much),and there is $25.00/gallon diesel fuel for the equipment to erect them.
Gasoline will be $30.00 gallon, not just because of crude supply but also the reduction in gasoline refining overseas for export. Local refining will not meet 50% of demand as refinieries will be closed because of constrained credit markets and low refining margins will drive companies under.
There is a huge shortage of steel for the wind towers because metallurgical coal is $1,000.00 a ton because of global demand and huge increases in recovery costs and transportation will add 50% more, the blade factories yards are full of product they cannot ship to the site because the transportation system will have collapsed to where only food and durables are transported regularily, we will be at 10-12% renewables from all sources (this is based on demand growth eating away at installed capacity and older facility retirements).
Oil distillate supplies will be gone and with them all the products derived from them, like Lithium/Ion Electric Car Battery Casings, tires, high impact plastics, modern textiles and medical supplies.
It is not Just the OIL
Natural Gas will be $200 bbl equivilent, since we have very few LNG capable ports and developed sources in NA will be playing out, old T.Boone will be putting all the excess over home heating into his company vehicles tanks.
Electricity from wind will be 4.00+ Kwh just as 20% of the population turns to electric heating because of the NG prices. As the implemtation costs of renewables rise exponentially so will the consumer price.
The oil and gas from the OCS and Alaska will arrive along with coal to liquids and Nuclear Power to power the rest of the process which will play out over 40 more years.
Then we retire the remaining fossil fuels by capping the wells, tearing down the pipelines, closing the mines and Nuclear Plants as we implement more and more renewables.
That is how we get there from here. It will hurt bad and probably bring the country to its knees in a economic sense, with the costs of social services bringing taxation to levels undreamed of, before we recover about 1/2 the way (25 years) through the process.
On the environment front we are going to have to accept that we are going to burn fossil fuels for 50 more years in some form. Accept it and move on.
drill, drill drill for oil now bush rocks…..
[...] But here’s the half-empty: offshore drilling is not a solution, it’s not even a quick fix – it’s a mistake, plain and simple. The only thing it has to offer is false hope and more environmental damage.[...]