Subj : Re: Canadian oil
To   : Deuce
From : Angus McLeod
Date : Sat Sep 03 2005 10:07:00

  Re: Re: Canadian oil
  By: Deuce to Angus McLeod on Fri Sep 02 2005 22:03:00

 > but you are (unless I misunderstand) advocating seeking a renewable 
 > source instead of seeking more non-renewable ones.  It's not an 
 > either-or situation.  We need to seek BOTH because until we actually 
 > FIND a renewable one, we really have to keep the existing stuff going.  
 > It would be incalcuably worse to run out of oil without a replacement 
 > on tap.

What I am advocating, is an increased effort towards finding an alternate 
source of energy.  I am not saying that the current exploration, for and 
exploitation of petroleum should cease.  Just that the efforts being made 
to discover an alternative should be increased.

One way to promote this, would be to help bring such current technologies 
a step closer to economic viability, by re-structuring the taxes on 
energy.  Some years ago, our government allowed the cost of any solar hot 
water installation to be claimed against taxes, and offered certain other 
incentives to the manufacturers of such systems.  Within a handful of 
years, virtually everyone had switched.  If (for instance) the tax on 
Gasahol was eliminated, or reduced in proportion to the %age of alcohol 
in the mix, this might encourage its use.   And the development of systems 
designed to use higher and higher %ages of alcohol, and reduced-cost 
production of alcohol, and who knows what?

So, no.  I don't want to prevent the continued use of petroleum.  But I do 
want to see more encouragement for the development of alternatives.


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