John McCain wants the US to drill for oil offshore. This was banned long time ago for ecological reasons, but with oil prices constantly going up, politicians have to come up with solutions. So, McCain says: drill for more oil and gas. This may solve the crisis for a couple of years, until the next oil crunch. But it may be just enough for McCain to win the election, as the voters are once again lulled into a false sense of security.
It is inevitable at this moment to drill for more oil. But unless we cure of our oil-addiction, we will soon not be able to use this ‘quick fix/cheap politics’ solution. The oil reserves are finite. We need a real solution. Obama has so far resisted the temptation to jump on this false bandwagon. But he’d better think again. We are going to need the extra oil anyway. So drill. Don’t let McCain steal the election. But don’t present it as a solution. It is an emergency band-aid.
Lester Brown’s advice:
We quote from www.earth-policy.org: “Food security will deteriorate further unless leading countries can collectively mobilize to stabilize population, restrict the use of grain to produce automotive fuel, stabilize climate, stabilize water tables and aquifers, protect cropland, and conserve soils. Stabilizing population is not simply a matter of providing reproductive health care and family planning services. It requires a worldwide effort to eradicate poverty”.
Food prices are linked to oil prices. Not only because food is being used more and more to produce ethanol as fuel for cars, but also because the food has to be processed and transported by companies that are dependent on oil for their energy needs. As oil soars, so does the cost of food processing and transportation. So, yes, there is an emergency. We need cheaper oil to solve the crisis for a short while. So drill! In the meantime we must put massive effort into developing economically and ecologically sustainable alternatives. Fast! Very fast!
What about the Antilles?
We are lucky that we have the support of Holland (and the EU) to weather the storm. But a storm is underway. We can expect sharply rising food prices, rising gas prices and probably more severe weather conditions. We, too, must begin to use less, conserve more and change our lifestyle. It is coming our way, too. Especially as we are 100% dependent on imports. It will be worth our while to re-introduce at least some agriculture into our island-economies. We know it’s marginal, but amid sharply rising food, it makes sense.
We ask our readers most urgently to view this article’s video. Awareness is the first step. Our politicians must wake up, stop bickering and get on with the job: ‘Stabilize population, restrict the use of grain to produce automotive fuel, stabilize climate, stabilize water tables and aquifers, protect cropland, and conserve soils; eradicate poverty’.