By Simon Leufstedt on November 18th, 2008
In his first interview since the election Barack Obama talked with 60 Minutes about the economy, energy and about the failing auto industry in USA.
In the interview Obama said that “the challenges that we’re confronting are enormous” and many, and that he sometimes asks himself “where do I start?” Obama also said that the American people are looking for “action” instead of “a lot of speeches”.
I would just like to add that the whole world is looking for action, not just the American people. Watch the interview below:
(more…)
By Simon Leufstedt on October 10th, 2008
ABC, the American Broadcasting Company, seems to be bought up by big oil and the coal industry as they refuse to run the Repower America ad from the We Campaign. The ad attacks the dirty coal and oil industry while promoting green renewable energy as the real solutions to the energy crisis and climate change.
“Did you notice the ads after last night’s presidential debate? ABC had Chevron. CBS had Exxon. CNN had the coal lobby. But you know what happened last week? ABC refused to run our Repower America ad — the ad that takes on this same oil and coal lobby”, said Cathy Zoi, CEO of the We Campaign, in an email newsletter to the campaigns member two days ago.
(more…)
By Simon Leufstedt on September 18th, 2008
The image below shows why offshore drilling won’t help to lower energy or gas prices in USA. The data comes from the US Energy Information Administration.
The EIA doesn’t expect any oil production from offshore drilling until around the year 2017. And that it won’t reach peak production until around 2030, and then it would only produce 200,000 barrels of oil per day (marked in yellow below). “This would supply a meager 1.2% of total US annual oil consumption (just 0.6% of total US energy consumption)”.
(more…)
By Simon Leufstedt on September 18th, 2008
Al Gore and the We Campaign is fighting big oil and their “drill, drill” message with a new TV ad. The new TV ad will be aired on national cable TV, and if they raise enough money they will also air it on 60 Minutes and 20/20 this coming week.
(more…)
By Simon Leufstedt on August 5th, 2008
There have been a lot of discussions about the high gas prices in USA the past months and what exactly should be done to curb this trend. Some politicians, like McCain, Bush, and Gingrich, are taking advantage of the situation and tries to push for the ending of a 27-year moratorium on offshore drilling along the coastlines of USA.
But offshore drilling is not a “quick fix” and it won’t help to lower the gas prices. The only ones that will profit from this are Bush and McCain’s friends in the oil industry. While people are suffering from the high gas prices the oil companies are reporting record profits after record profits.
Greenpeace has listed a bunch of reasons why offshore drilling is not the answer to high gas prices at the pump:
(more…)
By Simon Leufstedt on July 28th, 2008
The International Brotherhood of Teamsters, one of the largest labor unions in USA, has announced that they no longer support President Bush’s platform for oil drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.
During a summit in California on “good jobs and clean air” Teamsters General President Jim Hoffa announced that their labor union is leaving the ANWR coalition.
“We are not going to drill our way out of the energy problems we are facing—not here and not in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. We must find a long-term approach that breaks our dependence on foreign oil by investing in the development of alternate energy sources like solar, wind and geothermal power.”
(more…)
By Simon Leufstedt on July 16th, 2008
This is not a joke, I promise. The House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-OH) said in an press conference yesterday that he don’t think there is any wildlife in the Arctic Wildlife National Refuge (ANWR).
“We’re going to look at this barren, Arctic desert where I’m hoping to see some wildlife,” Boehner said. “But I understand there’s none there. But I’m still going to look for it. If I find any, I’ll let you know.”
Check out the video below where CNN interviews John Boehner, shortly after the press conference, while showing b-roll of actual wildlife moving around in the Arctic Wildlife National Refuge.
(more…)
By Simon Leufstedt on May 30th, 2008
Imagine for a second that oil prices in the USA today were at the same levels as those in Europe, and have been from the start. And yes. That means gasoline for $8 per gallon.
How would the world look like? Would we have a war in Iraq? Would we have a better climate? Would we have less terrorism? Would the US economy be in a better shape?
(more…)
By Simon Leufstedt on May 10th, 2008
These days it seems the price of gas and oil will keep rising and never become stable again. And why should it? We have reached peak oil and the demand for the black and deadly gold keeps soaring.
People’s love with huge and gas-guzzling SUVs and cars seems to be loosing its former glory. Cause who would want to pay a fortune for a gas-thirsty climate change monster? Not even Americans seem to do these days.
Small and fuel-efficient vehicles are the future. The Asian automakers understood this several years ago, and now the western automakers are trying to catch up. Well, at least some of them.
(more…)
By Simon Leufstedt on April 21st, 2008
We are already now starting to see riots and protests around the world that have been triggered by the lack of resources. And unfortunately this is a sight we will see more and more of in the future.
People are protesting in Haiti, Argentina, Cambodia, Indonesia, Egypt, Bolivia, Senegal and Yemen because of rising food costs or because they can’t even buy any food – cause there isn’t any.
(more…)