Monday, July 12, 2010

BP

The BP corporation is being vilified on every medium of media on the planet. Let's be honest here, the effects on the environment are a big deal. What I don't like is that I haven't heard any stories published on how the families and loved ones of the 11 workers killed in the explosion are doing. Nor have I heard how the 17 injured are recovering. If stories have even been published about them they have been flooded away by a multitude of other reports on the "environmental backlash".
I care about the environment. I love nature, hiking, camping, backpacking, and swimming. If I can enjoy something outside, I probably find myself spending time outside doing it. We are tasked with the stewardship of this planet. It is ours to take care of. This is what bothers me about the news. BP didn't blow up their own billion dollar oil rig, killing 11 people, because they felt like it. It wasn't in their best interest to do so. Force a company to drill offshore through miles of ocean and earth crust in a hurricane prone area because locations easy to drill are too highly regulated, and accidents will happen. This won't be the last time this happens. I think the American people share some responsibility for this tragedy. It was the representatives that we elected, who voted on the laws to make it impossible for companies to drill on American soil.
Did transocean (the company BP contracted to do the actual operation of the rig) screw up? Look at the pictures of the gulf of Mexico and you'll get your answer. This mistake will be costly in so many ways we cannot begin to calculate it, including a toll of human lives. Grow up America! We are the ones driving around cities gunning our V6 and V8 engines in our super-duties, SUVs, and vans. We are the ones creating the massive demand for fossil fuels (Source).
Here is the problem as I see it. The political leaders of the nation are going to tell the people, "stricter regulation is the key. Keep on driving, flying, and buying. We'll regulate the industry some more and then cap the prices on gas for you when it goes up too much, but still increase the amount of taxes we take per gallon." Unfortunately, people will believe them, the laws will pass, and the situation will become worse. It is a convenient ending where BP is temporarily blamed for all of America's energy problems until a new scapegoat must be found.

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