By: patagonia

patagonia — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 19:57:52 +0000

Nice comment! My concerns for Obama’s ability to have a positive environmental impact within he United States is definitely selfish in that I this that will indirectly positively influence Canadian environment. An example is that of the pipelines being built from the Alberta oil sands to the United States. Not only are th tar sands the worst environmental pollutant in Canada today, but we are also giving up potential profits; we will be shipping unrefined oil to the United States, where it will be processed just over the border and re-sold to Canada as the higher, finished product, cost. In his second one-on-one debate with McCain, the question of energy and environment was raised. Obama had a strong answer, a realistic answer economically, that gave me some hope. He said the the future will rely on alternative green energy sources and green technology, but that in the transition phase oil and ‘clean coal’ technology will be needed. So, oil exploration will continue, but as Obama describes it, as means to a greener end. It is my hope that this idea of a energy efficient future will not only benefit the environment, but also peace and international relations; if the major consumers decrease oil use and turn to alternative energies, the threat of conflict over oil will decrease. Also, greener technologies will be less polluting, indirectly positively influencing water quantity and quality, which could decrease the threat of conflict over water (which I would argue is not the ‘next’ war to be fought, but one that is already coinciding with the war over oil). These are my optimistic thoughts on Obama’s energy and environmental policies; I believe the way he talks about the future shows that he understands the complexity and magnitude of environmental systems and the ominous environmental crisis.

Comments on: A new face for America

By: patagonia