Greenpeace

"Man knows no master save creating Heaven,
Or those whom choice and common good ordain." - Thomas Paine, Common Sense

Two hundred and twenty five years ago, Thomas Paine, one of the most notable of American revolutionaries, published the pamphlet Common Sense, a document that called for secession from Britain and American independence.  His views focused mainly on the legitimacy of monarchs and the state of American affairs at the time.  His demands were clear and concise: an America free from the rule of a king, independent and self sufficient.

Centuries later, even looking past the economic turmoil that surrounds us at the moment, America is a relatively thriving and prosperous nation, with all probability that we will remain a world leader economically, despite setbacks.  We no longer answer to the taxing demands of a king or an oppressive parliament; in fact, we're now allies with the nation that we once regarded as our oppressors.  Our government is stable to the point of being almost dull in nature.  So, all in all, things seem to be going pretty well in that sense...

However, I think it's high time that the Thomas Paine of our time, wherever he may be, needs to get out the pen and write another pamphlet, this time regarding oil independence.

I know this is a touchy subject with a lot of people.  In our home, there are a couple of things you don't talk about unless you want a fight: gay people, politics, and drilling.  I'm in the definite minority here; living in rural Idaho in a strictly Republican, conservative household can be a little stifling.  Even so, despite the wishes of my parents that I remain silent and dull my world view at least until I'm of legal age to move out, I think it's time to add my voice to the call for a nation independent of not only foreign oil, but oil as a main fuel source.

Here's the thing: we could probably run on oil for quite some time still.  There's still plenty to go around.  I could blow through as many Hummers as I wanted without feeling much of a tug.  Oil is an expansive, profitable, and comfortable business.  It's also becoming a creeping focal point of our lives.  Consider: when we watched the cost of gas at the pump plummet below the two-dollar mark these past few months, what was the reaction?  It was comparable to the celebration on New Years Eve 2000.  People often keep better track of the price of gas than they do of the news.  We budget around gas, design additives to make gas last longer, and often get bummed out when we reach the half-tank mark.  We are addicted to oil, and we aren't about to go into rehab without some coaxing.

One of the biggest allures of oil is that it's familiar.  There isn't much science left aside from squeezing every last mile out of that one gallon of unleaded.

But by far the largest of all reasons is that, despite four bucks a gallon this past summer and a upward creeping in current prices, gas is affordable in comparison to machinery that runs off of alternate energy.  If I could afford it, I'd trade my old '96 Corsica in for an electric car in a minute.  The fact is, electric cars or even hybrids at this point are so far out of my buying range that all I can do is cringe every time I have to convert my dollars into oil at the pump.

I know that many people share those sentiments.  Even my father, one of the biggest supporters of big oil, acknowledges that if he could afford a hybrid he'd switch over without much thought.  Here's what makes that impossible: we shrug, give a little sigh, and go right back to throwing our money at the good old combustion engine.

So how do we fight oil nostalgia?  Really, it's common sense, just as the title suggests.

The American economical recession can actually be considered a godsend if you look at it just the right way.  If you follow the news at all, you're aware that the big American auto-makers are dying right now.  Congress turned away their requests for a "bailout" several times, insisting that they come up with a plan that takes them into the future of the industry.  In layman’s terms: no more proverbial 'Hummers'... at least for awhile.

This is a rare opportunity that we have to directly influence the market instead of the market dictating to us.  And unless we grab it, there's always the potential that we will eventually return to the Era of Oil.

The benefits of demanding alternative energy are abundant and obvious, and the most direct are reduced greenhouse gases and emissions detrimental to human health.  America as a leader in alternative energy would shoot us back to the forefront of economical wellbeing and security.  And there's always that perk of not having to stop at Exxon every few days and waste valuable time purchasing a product that we all hate but all depend on.

So, the answer is clear: we demand a movement towards clean vehicles.  We ask the auto-industry to make alternate energy affordable and viable; if they don't, I think their future is fairly clear.  Write to these companies, blog about it, send emails to those you know and ask them to demand the same thing.

The closing chapter of oil's long history is in sight.  In the words of Thomas Paine, "Man knows no master save creating Heaven, or those whom choice and common good ordain."  We aren't obligated to be slaves to oil; we choose to throw off the shackles or to wallow in gas indefinitely.

I think the only real option is self evident.