Oil Companies

I attended Governor Crist's Florida Summit on Global Climate Change a few weeks ago, and Lord Adair Turner, Chairman of the United Kingdom Climate Change Committee, discussed climate change and economics.  He said there has been a concern that cutting greenhouse gas emissions 80% below 1990 levels by 2050 (which is California's law) is a "threat" to the American way of life.  He went on to prove why that is not true (which I will discuss later in this blog).

But first I want to ask what happened to the "land of opportunity," to the country where "the sky's the limit?"  Where has America's hope gone, and why are we hesitant to seize the opportunity?

Actually, I know-the people that are putting out the message about the "threat" are those who feel threatened...ie. oil companies.  Yeah, things don't look good for them if our country needs to change our lifestyle and implement new technologies for energy.  But things don't look good for the entire world if we don't.  So who do you want to protect (hint: 2 answers are correct):

a. the incredibly rich oil company executives, whom if they retire now will have plenty of money for themselves and their families for generations to come

b. the poor child living in the African nation of Chad (who emits 1/2000 of carbon emissions/year of what an average American does)

c. ourselves.