Which is smarter, garrisoning a foreign country to ensure the source of light oil, or a concerted national effort to provide alternative energy sources not reliant on other nations? That would also guarantee us with the advantage in alternative energies for the future.

Americans used to think of themselves as compassionate, not inclined to conquer others, which itself was a fallacy of the highest magnitude. We conquered this country from the native Americans, and we absorbed half of Mexico in the 1840s by conquest; I.e. the "Halls of Montezuma" is part of the U.S. Marine Corp history and pride. We absorbed the territories of Puerto Rico and Samoa after the Spanish American War of 1898. We did give the Philippines their freedom after World War II.

The point is that America needs to redefine its identity. Either it becomes a militaristic power or it attempts an identity as a compassionate neighbor. Fear and ignorance are bedfellows, and too many Americans subscribe to this base emotion. We do not need to take natural resources from others, we need to use the many we have, to better advantage for all.

Let us listen to T. Boone Pickens and Al Gore and declare war on fossil fuels, for our own good.

Dave Gebhard lives in Lakeport.

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purplegirl - Declaring War IP:208.106.99.xxx | 08-22-2008 10:40:50 To "declare war on fossil fuels" may sound great on the surface but (much like any other war) I don't believe many people understand the depth of the situation. It would mean more than just "a concerted national effort to provide alternative energy sources". It would mean creating a consumer revolution and evolution (which is far more difficult to bring about than a "war"). If you really want to tackle this situation, at its heart, you need to understand the true depth of our dependency on oil. Only about 15% of every barrel we consume in the U.S. is gasoline, another 15% is diesel. The rest is consumed through everyday products like: # Cars (the actual body of the car, not just what goes into it for fuel) # Asphalt (the roads we drive our cars on) # Tires # Cosmetics # Most synthetic fiber (such as rayon,nylon,polyester) # Nylon Rope # Crayons # Telephones # Enamel Paint # Transparent (Scotch) tape # Antiseptics # Deodorant # Pantyhose # Rubbing Alcohol # Carpets # Epoxy paint # Oil filters # Upholstery # Hearing Aids # Cassettes # Motorcycle helmets # Pillows # Shower Doors and Shower Curtains # Shoes # Refrigerators # Electrical Tape # Safety Glass # Awnings # Rubber Cement # Ice Buckets # Fertilizers # Hair coloring # Toilet seats # Denture adhesive # Loudspeakers # Movie Film # Shoes # Boots # Candles # Water pipes # Credit cards # Aspirin # Golf Balls # Detergents # Sunglasses # Glue # Fishing Rods # Linoleum # Trash bags # Hand Lotion # Shampoo # Shaving cream # Footballs # Paint brushes # Balloons # Fan belts # Umbrellas # Paint Rollers # Luggage # Antifreeze # Model Cars and Airplanes # Floor Wax # Dishwashing liquids # Unbreakable dishes # Toothbrushes # Toothpaste # Combs # Tents # Hair curlers # Lipstick # Ice cube trays # Electric blankets # Electric Cord # Tennis rackets # Drinking cups # House paint # Rollerskate wheels # Guitar strings # Ammonia # Eyeglasses # Life jackets # TV cabinets # Car battery cases # Insect repellent # Refrigerants # Typewriter ribbons # Cold cream # Glycerin Soap # Cameras # Anesthetics # Artificial turf # Artificial Limbs # Bandages # Dentures # Mops # Beach Umbrellas # Ballpoint pens # Boats # Nail polish # Golf bags # Caulking # Tape recorders # Curtains # Vitamin capsules # Skis # Insecticides # Fishing lures # Perfumes # Shoe polish # Petroleum Jelly # Faucet Washers # Food preservatives # Antihistamines # Cortisone # Synthetic Dyes # LP records # Solvents # Roofing # Credit Cards # Brake Fluid # Life Jackets # Lunch Boxes # Boats # Hair Spray # Jet Fuel # Bubble Wrap # Tennis Rackets # Any Children’s Toy That Contains Plastic # Most Food Packaging # Carpets # Roller Blades # Skate Boards # Baby Car Seats # Shampoo # Raincoats To name a few. Are we really willing to declare war against the consumption of oil? Then we need to evolve as consumers. Yes, we need to find alternative energy sources but that is only a small portion of the problem. We also need to learn and put into practice the four R's (reduce, reuse and recycle). Until we arm ourselves with the right artillery to battle this problem, declaring "war" on the problem is going to be futile. It is like we are trying to use a bow and arrow when the situation really calls for a machine gun to fight this battle.

jmadison Registered | 08-22-2008 13:47:53 I'll give up LP records, roller blades and raincoats. I'll get rid of my hair spray too. Thanks for providing an alternative solution. Whats the 4th R?

Baxter - Thank you, purplegirl IP:67.142.130.xxx | 08-22-2008 16:47:22 for providing a such useful list. The answer is YES, we DO want to stop supporting the oil-consumption machine, and your list provides good ideas of how each of us, as individuals, makes buying choices that can affect the over-all picture. Many of the items listed are cheap imports from other countries, so it is a no-brainer that we do not want to purchase those items anyhow. (The "true cost" of such chea

Baxter Registered | 08-22-2008 16:59:03 for providing a such useful list. The answer is YES, we DO want to stop supporting the oil-consumption machine, and your list provides good ideas of how each of us, as individuals, makes buying choices that can affect the over-all picture. Many of the items listed are cheap imports from other countries, so it is a no-brainer that we do not want to purchase those items anyhow. (The "true cost" of such cheap imports goes far beyond what we pay at the cash register. Visit > to learn the whole amazing picture). Cheap oil-byproduct imports are killing our economy, costing us jobs, killing our environment, and filling our landfills with made-to-fall-apart crap. All it would take is for 10-15% of all USA consumers to follow environmentally-friendly buying habits, and it would seriously rock the boat, and change WILL happen. 1) Shop local to the greatest extent possible. 2) Don't buy imported stuff. 3) Buy materials made from non-oil byproducts (cotton, wool, wood, etc) 4) Buy well-crafted things that last. Don't be suckered by "saving" money on the cheap crappola that will break within the year. 5) Re-cycle, and purchase goods made from recycled materials (unless it takes more oil to recycle them -- some homework needed, there) 6) Do not buy a new car. Have your old one repaired or rebuilt (dollars to a local mechanic are invested in the surrounding community when the mechanic goes shopping). Or, buy a used vehicle. (Resist bank offers of low-interest loans that can only be used to purchase a new car -- those offers are part of a giant economic conspiracy to keep us all debt-ridden cogs in our country's dysfunctional economic machine.) 7) Shop at Thrift or Salvation Army stores first, and only consider buying something new if you cannot find it used, first. I haven't purchased new kitchenware in 20 years. I pay 25 cents for a perfectly good cake pan at the Thrift store, rather than spending $11.99 for the same thing new at the grocery store (or 49.99 at a fancy internet gourmet kitchen store) Buy used clothes (or at least try to find what you need at recycled clothing stores first -- if you haven't been in such a store recently, you should check it out, you might be AMAZED at what is available!) 9) Grow your own food. It's fun, it's easy, there is a bit of learning curve, but it's valuable education that could become vital to survival. 10) Support local farmers and ranchers. That's just the tip of the iceberg, there are so many things that each and every one of us can do, which WILL make a difference. JD

Baxter - heres the weblink Registered | 08-22-2008 17:00:11 The Story of Stuff can be viewed at www.storyofstuff.com

inov8tiv - 4 th R Registered | 08-26-2008 12:55:05 In the New England tradition I was taught that the 4th R is "Repair".

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