Squeezing the last drops out of an archaic technology

Articles — By forcechange on September 23, 2008 5:00 am

Architecture2030.org, “a non-profit, non-partisan and independent organization… established in response to the global-warming crisis” posted this chart based upon projections from the U.S. Energy Information Administration that illustrates the share that oil derived from new offshore drilling could add to our overall supply.  By now, it is no surprise that this amount is embarrassingly small– given the passion behind the “drill, baby, drill” mantra. 

With that said, of course we’re not saying that the additional oil from new offshore drilling wouldn’t make any difference in our oil supply and consequential price–since as the chart beautifully shows–it would increase supplies by some amount.  Instead, it is the misguided effort and passion that is going into the pro-drilling movement that is the waste.  Instead of spending this time and effort on squeezing the last drops out of a twentieth century industry, we should be taking this opportunity to figure out how to master the twenty-first century industry–that being, clean technology. 

For the take on this subject at the Republican convention, check out this video.  Apparently Abe Lincoln wants us to drill too:

 [Hat tips: Treehugger, Tom Friedman, and this jewel.]