Bad things happen when oil rigs burn. The one pictured here exploded near Australia. There's another that just collapsed into the Gulf of Mexico today after burning for several days. Click to see video.About 700,000 gallons of diesel fuel might be pouring into the gulf right now. There has been a loss of life and massive destruction of the local marine environment.
So when folks, particularly politicians, like to say "drill baby drill," I cringe. When they try to sell it as a safe, clean way of providing energy to America, well, they aren't being truthful.
Nothing is entirely safe, granted. A windmill will kill birds on occasion and someone could potentially fall off the roof while installing a solar panel. But are gigantic oil rigs off our coast really safe and in our best long-term interest?
I am not sure when America is going to be an innovator again. Not sure when we are going to use all our technological might to provide something for society other than another smart phone or a computer that will make your toast in the morning. We're stubbornly clinging to ancient technologies while inventing frivolous new products that do nothing to preserve or advance what is really important. Maybe there is more money to be made in iPads than in alternative fuels. As long as profits are what motivate our society, it's unlikely that we're going to make great strides in cleaning up the planet, curing diseases or finding the spiritual balance many of us seek.
Watching these massive rigs go up in flames should be clear evidence that it's time to move away from fossil fuels. We can't keep going to war in crude-rich countries, polluting the seas, killing off species and making oil executives rich because we lack the motivation to think outside of the box.
Today is Earth Day. It's a nice concept. But how far have we really come since the first Earth Day in 1970? Click to see video.
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