I respect your viewpoint, but must say what is the value of the argument when there are currently 8 other countries drilling closer to our shores in the gulf right now? Countries that have far less concern for the environment than we do. And your own statement I would buy an electric car, but they don’t make one that will tow my boat. A boat I assume that require fuel and oil, so forgive me as I mildly cringe at your subtle hypocrisy.
"Drill Baby Drill" is as poignant and important a Mantra today as it has been since the first right thinking American realized that with all of the vast riches of resources in this country that can safely be harvested with minimal risk to the environment, its probably better to do that then continue to send our jobs and riches overseas to countries that don’t exactly have our best interest in mind and in some cases take the oil money we send them and funnel it to terror organizations.
Unfortunately it was politics that has cause this disaster. Trying to drill that deep has dangers, dangers the whole world is eminently aware of, but areas like the 1002 area in the Arctic, which was purposely set aside, in law (ANILCA), for Oil and Gas production, would be minimal footprint, shallow wells, where conservative estimates show at least 16-billion barrels of oil and more than 18-trillion cubic feet of gas ready for extraction and is exponentially safer to harness than deep water drilling in the Gulf.
Despite the science indicating for decades that there are far safer areas to drill the politicians continue to capitulate to the special interests, and judges act as activists form the bench and continue to block responsible development, leaving us with a shrinking and more belabored domestic energy infrastructure.
So until you are willing to give up your boat and truck that tows it (well you and a couple hundred million other Americans that would "...be more green except...") and until you are willing to stop using anything made with plastic I think it might be a good idea that you direct your outrage at the politicians who inspected this rig just two weeks before and it a safety award. Direct your outrage at fringe environmental groups that block responsible development and production. And buckle in because a lot more of this is coming with China, Cuba, Spain, Portugal, Vietnam and the rest of the countries that are currently drilling in the Gulf, closer to our shore line than the Deep Water Horizon was, that do not have a fraction of the regulation, safety protocols, or concern for the environment as this country does, because they too will blow, its not a matter of if, but when.
We can’t just will and wish or "HOPE" for alternative fuels, nor can we shut down the country and wait for them to arrive under the Christmas tree, we must keep America running and that takes oil and gas right now.
Oh by the way every year for decades now BP has out spent the US government several, several times over in the area of alternative energy research and development.
Again I respect your view and understand your sentiment, but the world is drilling baby and despite this horrible tragedy our record is far better than anyone else when it comes to safe energy production. I am an avid diver, I was an Alaskan commercial fisherman and have seen the devastation the Exxon Valdez had on several of my friends, so I am not shilling for anyone, but reason must supplant emotions here, because as bad as this is, without us leading the way it will become so much worse.
Thanks for reading.