What Oil Crisis?

[beatsoul]

(letter to the editor)

As Israel continues it's attack on Lebanon the rest of the world is again left to calculate the war/oil equation.

While the current strife may not be related to oil - a certain product of war (such as the unattended oil spill from Israel's attack on a power plant in coastal Lebanon) is creating environmental damage that

Comments

[jabber]

Where do you think the electricity that powers the Internet over which you are posting this from your body-heat powered computer comes from?

Sure, fossil fuels are bad for the environment, but please, don't be a hypocrite.

[beatsoul]

You're completely unfamiliar with my energy consumption, so please don't be an ass. My point has absolutely nothing to do with energy production or usage.

[jabber]

Your point has to do with death and the destruction of the environment, does it not? Do you not acknowledge the connection beween energy consumption and both death and pollution? Yes, even your energy consumption factors in no matter what it is, because even if you were living entirely off the grid the fact that I can read your words means you're sucking up coal and oil and belching filth into the air, and the energy required for you to be here has killed an Iraqi and wounded a US soldier.

But what actually was your point? That it would be good if someone somewhere did something about what is wrong with the world? That there is an agenda on which one could run for public office.

[beatsoul]

I think I have a basic understanding of the cycle of life and death and the unavoidable relation of cause and effect. I don't want to argue on the inevitable contradictions that exist in the simple fact of my existence. The possible implications for my influence on matters of war certainly exceed my internet usage. But I'm not personally taking up arms and destroying environments in order to feed that hunger. I appreciate your trying to bring awareness to my own involvement in world affairs, but I'm doing quite well at taking stock of and managing my own reserves.

[amatasu]

Oh man you're one funny person. I live in Alaska and the Exxon Valdez oil spill was 257,000 barrels barrels of oil or 38,800 metric tonnes. Don't start complaining over this spill.

[beatsoul]

I'm not complaining - just ranting. Am I allowed that? I think every oil spill is an issue. As this spill is yet to be responded to - the total volume is to be determined.

[beatsoul]

Further inquiry shows me that the Exxon-Valdez spill doesn't even rank among the top-50 largest oil spills worldwide. My ignorance is revealed.

Thanks to the harmonious affects of jabber and yourself - I think I'll go back to caring little. For today.

I assumed "anotherway" philosophies would encompass such quantifiable topics as the environmental impact of war.

Honestly, I'm all for crashing this ship into the sun anyway.

[moontidemelody]

in this statement you made "Honestly, I'm all for crashing this ship into the sun anyway."

are you actually taking about the planet?

If so why the F would you care enought to follow any of the concepts of "anotherway"?

[moontidemelody]

you wrote: "As Israel continues it's attack on Lebanon the rest of the world is again left to calculate the war/oil equation

[beatsoul]

My post was not intended to defile Israel. Sorry if you took it that way. I'm sure there are wonderous environmental systems established within the Israel compound. I hope they maintain the ability to nurture and enhance those systems.

I have friends born of Israel. I have friends Lebanese, Iranian, Armenian, Pakistani, Afghani. I'm not talking about diaspora, nor massacre.

But of the crimes committed against the earth.

Perhaps my sentiment is lost in the rant. But the question remains.
Who will be responsible? If, ever, and when.

[laramarie71]

We all are responsible. We can't point the finger at Exxon in shock and say "oh look what they did!" while typing on our electricity powered computers. We vote, we try to be green-I would LOVE to live off grid as would most people on here, but it's more to do about money than lifestyle to make that change. We try to make things better for all living things, we do what we can. We try to come up with new ideas and make them work. We try to fix what's broke and repair the damage we have already done. If we try to live our OWN ideals instead focusing on those who aren't we would get a lot more accomplished. We already know that Exxon doesn't give a rat's ass...but those who will volunteer to help cleanup and rehab animals certainly deserve our monetary support and physical help if we are able.

[beatsoul]

I'm not pointing fingers at anyone - only to the situation.

As a power plant was the intended target - who is responsible for cleaning it up? That was the gist of my rant. The question is rhetorical - "Who will be resposible?"

You're right, the people responsible will likely not give a "rat's ass".

The people responsible will be the good-hearted volunteers who risk their lives for the task.

Thanks for your response. And yes - I do pay attention to my OWN ideals - as everyone here seems so intent to tell me to do. But as a global citizen on a lonely planet - I concern all situations.