"Even Republican presidential candidate John McCain has said drilling would only have a "psychological" impact. Democratic candidate Barack Obama and oilman T. Boone Pickens agree we can't drill our way out of this problem. Why hold up good proposals, such as more renewable energy that everyone agrees on, to benefit oil companies that are happy with high prices? There are better solutions to our energy crisis." Sierra Club President Carl Pope served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in India in the 1960's.
Carl Pope writes: Invest in clean energy
Opposing view: Invest in clean energy
Offshore drilling won’t produce enough oil to lower gas prices.
By Carl Pope
With gas prices like these, it's obvious that we're in an energy crisis. But the big oil companies and their friends in Congress continue to offer just one answer to our energy problems — more oil drilling. It's understandable that many Americans support this move when they are hurting, but to drill or not to drill is the wrong argument to be having.
Opening our coasts and wildlife refuges would do nothing to lower prices or solve our energy crisis. The U.S. holds less than 3% of the world's oil, but we use 25% of it. Drilling in new areas would simply not produce enough oil to impact prices on the world market. The Energy Information Administration tells us that oil from new coastal drilling would not be available for nearly a decade, and that it would not reach peak production for roughly 20 years. The oil would amount to a drop in the bucket on the world market.
Compare that with the fact that last week, the biggest oil companies reported record quarterly profits in excess of $40 billion. Meanwhile, hardworking Americans are still struggling just to drive to work in the morning. Big Oil has had us in a chokehold for too long. Americans need and deserve more energy choices.
Investments in efficient and clean energy would steer us away from the dangerous course we're on and infuse our economy with new life. They would benefit all of us, not just the richest oil companies in the world.
By making big oil companies pay their fair share, we can fund tax credits and refund checks to regular Americans for immediate, short-term relief from gas prices — something drilling wouldn't do.
Even Republican presidential candidate John McCain has said drilling would only have a "psychological" impact. Democratic candidate Barack Obama and oilman T. Boone Pickens agree we can't drill our way out of this problem. Why hold up good proposals, such as more renewable energy that everyone agrees on, to benefit oil companies that are happy with high prices? There are better solutions to our energy crisis.
Carl Pope is executive director of the Sierra Club, the nation's oldest and largest environmental organization.
