Tree Hugging

This is the worst kind of article to write. You see, because even though we can all say we love and need the environment, and even though we say we love Al Gore and we try our best to save our Ecosystem, we really don't. The majority of people, myself included, hardly think twice about purchasing biodegradable materials, or recycled paper, etc. I usually go to Target or Walmart and get whatever I find to be cheapest, at no thought to whether this will affect my environment in anyway. This thinking has been going on for hundreds of years, but it definitely needs to stop. We need to get past the point of selfishness and into a zone of selflessness, not only for our generation, but for our offspring.

Every year more species become endangered, we dig more into the amazon, and lets not forget we still contribute to the ever expanding ozone layer. Huge icebergs melt a little more everyday thanks to our irresponsible behavior and we as a species need to do something about it. I definitely understand the problem though, as most of us do have good intentions.

What most of us don't have however, are adequate recycling systems nearby. I remember in a town i use to live in we had a 'recycling' area in the middle of nowhere where we pretty much threw in a bag of plastic cups, lids, etc and a creepy man would give us 50 cents, and I've heard this still happens today. Not to mention our insane water usage growing up. I shudder at some memories I have growing up of wasting so much water for really no reason other than to torment a sibling or pet.

So here comes the world of the day yet again, responsibility. Its up to us to save the planet, no one else is going to do this for you. If you want your grand kids to grow up in a disgusting, sewage infested Earth, that's completely up to you. But I, I'm going to do my best to recycle, use less water, and buy Eco-friendly materials from now on.

-Eight

Opec and I

OPEC and I

The last time I drove by the local CITGO, the cheapest gas in town most of the time, the sign read $3.85 for Basic. Diesel was at a whopping $4.15 a gallon. When I was ten years old I left Tampa for Alabama and gas was at a high of $1.12 a gallon. So in a period of almost 12 years gas has almost quadrupled in price. Over this past Memorial Day weekend travel on U.S. highways fell almost 5%, or 11 billion fewer miles, the most since the 1940s.

The United States, as well as most of the rest of the world, has pleaded and begged to the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries to lower the price of crude oil. Saudi Arabia, who is a true ‘ally’ of the United States and a dominant OPEC member, has done nothing but laugh off our plea. At us, the country that supplies them with weapons, crude materials, and best of all, military might. So they can’t even discuss lowering crude oil to $100 a barrel again? Believe me when I say I understand the problem isn’t just with Saudi Arabia. I understand the economics of supply and demand and the fact that Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez hates the U.S. and what we stand for. There is no real use complaining to them though.

What we need to do is something drastic. Let’s start looking for an alternative fuel that works and is inexpensive. Hydrogen, BioMASS/fuel, compressed air have all been proven to work in place of fossil fuels, and compressed air is even supposed to be 10 times cheaper than oil. All we need is to research and develop the technology and in ten years fossil fuels might not even be a necessity. The only big problem then will be the switchover.

What will we do with the millions and millions of cars around the world that won’t take this new alternative fuel source? Sure, we can use a lot of the parts for recycling and making more cars, but what about the old engines? Are we to scrap them all, bury them, and start over? What about us poor people that aren’t going to be able to afford the new $30,000 biofuel wonder? How will Aunt Clara buy her groceries when the rich are driving the efficient new air cars and she’s paying for $7 a gallon still? All we can do is wait and see what happens…

-Eight