Gulf Coast Oil Spill

[ScubaFeenD]

Don't be shocked, the environmental movement shut down drilling on land and shallow water so the only place left was deep water. It is a hell of a lot easier to deal with a blowout on land or in shallow water when the BOP is above the surface and not 5000' deep. The environmental groups won't get any sympathy from me when they start crying about this, they are part of the cause. They wanted to be able to stand on the beach and not see oil rigs, well they got that and more.

HAHA its so amusing that before you said that this was just going to be an inconvenience and now you are blaming environmental groups. I think you should think about your position here. Not that we need to all find a definite person to blame, but blowing this off on parties that are far far less responsible than the ones right in front of you looks silly IMO. The facts are that the Gov and the oil industry are in bed together far more than many other industries. PLus, the oil industry constantly has the HIGHEST profits on the planet. I feel bad only for the environment, animals, the loss of the grandeur of the ocean, and of course the millions of people who used to be hard working fisherman and will now be out of the job because the the corruption and poor decision making of a few greedy gov/oil execs.

 

[widget]

I think we all understand the needs of the economic global world, but I just think a healthy planet needs a healthy ecosystem, that includes air, water, soil, plants and marine and animal life from the biggest to the smallest. We are all intertwined and none of us live or exist in a vaccuum, but, man, as the highest and most intelligent species on the planet, has the greater onus to protect, nurture and maintain those who are lesser, and cannot do it themselves.

 

[DennisS]

How did we get in this mess-listening to and believing "experts". Here's a study that was commissioned by a pro drilling politician and paid for with state tax dollar. Is this information worth $200k


Scott Maxwell: Florida taxpayers spent $200,000 on study that concluded oil spills would be small, rare - OrlandoSentinel.com

"Less than two weeks before oil began jetting from the ocean floor in the Gulf of Mexico, a state-commissioned report proclaimed the risk of drilling was extremely minimal.

It said a major spill should be expected only once every 100 years.

Even then, the report said, we might be talking about 1,000 barrels — approximately the amount of oil currently spewing into the Gulf every hour or two.

You might laugh at the report — if you hadn't spent $200,000 to create it.

Actually, State Rep. Dean Cannon decided you should spend it.

The up-and-coming House speaker from Winter Park had been steadfast in his push to allow drilling just a few miles off the Florida coast — until the BP explosion.

Then he slowed down. Then, he may have realized it would be tough peddling a report that claimed Floridians might expect spills of a mere "52 barrels per year" when they're seeing that much spilled every few minutes."

 

[Rhone Man]

I getting really tired of all the uninformed and ignorant screaming about get it stopped now.
Do you not think BP would not stop it now if they could, is it doing them any good to let it leak.
People cry about the government not doing anything, well the government is not in the oil business and doesn't have the equipment or expertize to do anything, the oil industry does just as related to diving, the government knows nothing about designing tanks and just uses the Compressed Gas Association engineering standards and makes them DOT regulations for tanks. The same happens in the oil industry.

The media and the government will not be honest with the people and tell them the truth about how dependent we are on oil, not just to power our vehicles and heat and cool our homes but that just about everything we touch in our daily lives has one or more components in it that come from oil. What do you want to give up.

Thanks for the perspective. Someone more knowledgable than me described it as being like trying to defuse a bomb, whilst wearing boxing gloves and using three foot sticks. I bet the job just gets easier and easier with journalists and politicians screaming in your ear.

 

[dmoore19]

PLus, the oil industry constantly has the HIGHEST profits on the planet.

Though I have misplaced the article I had and would love to have it right now. That statement should be taken into context. The return on investment is much lower for an oil compnay than it is for other industries. Though I cannot (at this time) find the article, Return on investment for Oil companies is in the 10-12% range while the electronics industry is closer to 18% the list goes on to include tobacco and others as well. So highest profits on the planet is a broad term, I think other things should be considered.

Again not that I in any way am pleased with BP or MMS and this is a real disaster.

 

[scubaflier]

no one is stoping any one form getting themselves independent from Oil. You can put solar panels on your house you can buy an electric car. you can grow your own food. If you dont already use all solar electric equipment including the computer you are using now to read this thread and drive an electric car and grow your own food you help contribute to the need for Oil and the OIL industry. You can complain and complian but your part of the problem same as I. Do something if you want something done. I am headed to the Gulf to clean up some Oil I dont like it but It has to be done. Enough talking about it lets be about it.

 

[shoredivr]

Geothermal heating/cooling is an investment I made this year for my house and I am quite happy with it, if heating oil prices stay the same for the next 7 years, the system will be paid off. Bostech Mechanical Ltd.

Electric cars still require electricity to charge them, and that's got to come from somewhere.

 

[AquaExplorer]

Not too mention many electric cars use PLASTIC to make them light...where does people think that comes from?

We Americans are so damn ignorant. Oil is the life-blood of this nation, and the rest of the world, period. Sure it would be not to "get off oil" but there is a lot of work and effort to do that, and we may not like the results.

 

[ScubaFeenD]

Not too mention many electric cars use PLASTIC to make them light...where does people think that comes from?

We Americans are so damn ignorant. Oil is the life-blood of this nation, and the rest of the world, period. Sure it would be not to "get off oil" but there is a lot of work and effort to do that, and we may not like the results.

Yeah we are just soo ignorant, and that is why we havent moved from oil. Granted, not everyone is an engineer, but don't try to make it sound like its just dumb americans that have no concept of what it would take to move us forward. The lack of funding from private and public sources coupled with lobbying firms that (surprise surprise) only have their own interests in mid stall engineering that could propel the ENTIRE world forward from the "life-blood" that is oil. Stop pretending like getting off oil is impossible and start looking for ways to do it.

These kind of arguments of "this is just the way it is and we cant get any better" is just malarky. Maybe we should go back to coal. Or just wood burning stoves. Perhaps, we could go back to a time when flying was "impossible" or space flight was just a dream. Take a hint, withe the right will of a mas of people humanity can achieve a much greater balance with the world and each other. some stubborn people refuse to accept the greatness we can achieve and just blow it off as "too much work." Laziness is abhorrent. I do everything i can do help reduce. Its 90 degrees where i am right now, but the AC in my house is off to conserve energy. I walk to work everyday. I reuse bags for shopping. I take the stairs every chance I get, etc. However, changes on a large scale need to happen before we can actually ween ourselves off this sick obsession with dead carbon lifeforms.

 

[DennisS]

Not too mention many electric cars use PLASTIC to make them light...where does people think that comes from?

We Americans are so damn ignorant. Oil is the life-blood of this nation, and the rest of the world, period. Sure it would be not to "get off oil" but there is a lot of work and effort to do that, and we may not like the results.

It could get interesting on the interstate during rush hour but no plastic or oil.