Hey, Wow! Win-Win Oil!
In today's Korea Herald Op/Ed page was Joseph E. Stiglitz's (Nobel laureate in economics, and a professor of economics at Columbia University) monthly editorial "I Dissent."
Here is the opening paragraph: (Click here to read the whole thing.)
One of the more surreal sessions at this year's World Economic Forum in Davos had oil industry experts explaining how the melting of the polar ice cap - which is occurring faster than anyone anticipated - represents not only a problem, but also an opportunity: vast amounts of oil may now be accessible.
I was so totally inspired by this win-win situation (of which I have only heard of from the article above) proposed by these world class big-wig economists, I said "Hey, wow!" and began brainstorming all the other things they could think of:
Ozone depleting chemicals are now IN, as the new oil reserves found on melted Greenland mean plenty more petroleum for sunscreen products!
Deforestation is a terrible thing, but look at all the cleared land we can now search for oil on.
PLUS we'll have more paper than ever to recycle!
And to expedite the slash and burning, the oil industry promises free lighter fluid!
Oil execs having poured billions into finding jobs and a new way of life for those hunters displaced by the new dominance of lanterns burning petroleum oil verses whale oil, have found their solution: since their habitat will be lost to the rising ocean temperatures, take whales off the protected species list and hunt them for sport!
Have any ideas? Post a comment!
Here is the opening paragraph: (Click here to read the whole thing.)
One of the more surreal sessions at this year's World Economic Forum in Davos had oil industry experts explaining how the melting of the polar ice cap - which is occurring faster than anyone anticipated - represents not only a problem, but also an opportunity: vast amounts of oil may now be accessible.
I was so totally inspired by this win-win situation (of which I have only heard of from the article above) proposed by these world class big-wig economists, I said "Hey, wow!" and began brainstorming all the other things they could think of:
Ozone depleting chemicals are now IN, as the new oil reserves found on melted Greenland mean plenty more petroleum for sunscreen products!
Deforestation is a terrible thing, but look at all the cleared land we can now search for oil on.
PLUS we'll have more paper than ever to recycle!
And to expedite the slash and burning, the oil industry promises free lighter fluid!
Oil execs having poured billions into finding jobs and a new way of life for those hunters displaced by the new dominance of lanterns burning petroleum oil verses whale oil, have found their solution: since their habitat will be lost to the rising ocean temperatures, take whales off the protected species list and hunt them for sport!
Have any ideas? Post a comment!
posted by Hodge E. at 3/16/2006 12:51:00 PM
2 Comments:
The north pole melting presents a plethora of ecological opportunities. If we don't find oil, I see a great solution to our landfill excesses. We can ship our garbage to the north pole--we wouldn't even have to bury it. Although, we could bury it and build low income housing on top of it. Out of sight, out of mind. Granted, it might be cold for the first 5-15 years, but they (the pesky poor people) could always burn garbage to stay warm. I'm glad to see that, deep down, the oil tycoons and lobbyists are really progressive environmental thinkers.
Hey, how do the oil folk know there is coal at the North Pole? Santa leaves lots of it in their stockings every year!
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