Author, Affiliation, Date:
Theresa Bratton, Co-Directo of Ohio Peak Oil Action, 9-17-06
Body:
An Open Letter to Representative Roscoe Bartlett of Maryland: Proposal for a National “OIL DEPLETION MITIGATION BILL”
By Theresa Bratton
Co-Director of www.OhioPeakOilAction.org
Representative Bartlett,
I am writing to thank you for your efforts to raise awareness surrounding the issue of global peak oil production in the U.S. Congress. I am sorry to hear that some of your talks before congress have not been well attended. It truly is a shame that more of our chosen representatives are not giving the necessary attention to an issue that could prove to be so extremely important to their constituents in the near—and certainly the not too distant—future.
My name is Theresa Bratton and I am a recent graduate of Denison University in Granville, Ohio. My partner, Ryan Hottle, and I have recently founded an organization that deals with the threats of peak oil and global climate change. Our group is just one of many that are springing up across the county in response to these threats. It is wonderful to see so many people who are willing to dedicate their personal time and energy to such a worthy and necessary cause. Thank you for being one of those people.
I have spent some time pondering why the U.S. Congress has been so slow to respond to this very important issue, and how we could change that. I would have expected more heads to turn when the original results of Mr. Robert Hirsch’s study, The Peaking of World Oil Production: Impacts, Mitigation, & Risk Management, were released. It seems as if many law-makers are simply running from the issue because they refuse to accept the science or consider what might happen if world oil production does indeed decline. Those who truly understand the threat of peak oil know how problematic this unwillingness to mitigate the problem before potential crisis sets in could prove to be.
Obviously you have been working diligently to educate your peers. Yet, it seems that many of our representatives are choosing to side step what will likely be one of the gravest challenges of our generation. It seems that these representatives will need a much louder, much more direct, wake-up call. Unfortunately our media has done very little so far to bring peak oil theory into the public realm, and so the pressure on representatives from their constituents is still relatively minor. Response to global peak oil production has yet to be listed on the platform of many congress people. What we need to do is bring the matter before congress in a way that they cannot ignore.
When I read about other groups like our own that are trying to do grand things to help people face this issue (usually on a non-existent budget), I cannot help but think that we are all trying to solve the world’s problems on a nickel. These grassroots movements desperately need financial backing. If congress would allocate funds to get people working on the problems before us now, our world might be a better place for our children and grandchildren. I think this gesture would be difficult for your peers to ignore. Even if the legislation was ultimately shot down, it would get people thinking, and it might even receive some media attention.
I am writing this letter in hopes that you might consider bringing legislation before congress to allocate needed funds to peak oil, global climate change, and relocalization efforts. We must develop a concerted and concrete strategy to mitigate the threats by adopting specific measures that will deal directly with the threat of peaking world oil production.
The following are suggestions for what such a “Oil Depletion Mitigation Bill” could include:
I. Funding Farmers Transitioning from Conventional to Organic/Sustainable Methods of Food Production
Conventional agriculture involves large inputs of fossil fuel, including fertilizers, pesticides, fuel for farm machinery, and long-distance transportation. As energy costs rise, so too will the costs of these products. Ultimately, farms that can operate without these fossil fuel inputs using sustainable methods will be necessary. Already demand for organic products is soaring. However, farmers still have a difficult time during the three-year transition from conventional to organic methods because during this time they cannot receive the premium price for their produce. Further, their soils need to regenerate before they can reach full production. Giving farmers just enough funding so that they can transition during this crucial time period would encourage many farmers to convert to more sustainable methods of food production that require less fossil fuel inputs. Ultimately, this will lead to greater food security for our country. Consider also the fact that the average food product has to be shipped 1,500 miles. For this reason, funding should be primarily available to small farmers and growers who intend to sell locally.
II. A Federally Sponsored Program to Replace Incandescent Bulbs with Compact Fluorescents
Compact fluorescent light bulbs use one-fourth the energy of incandescent bulbs, and last ten times as long. A Federal Program to provide compact fluorescent bulbs to consumers for wholesale and at-cost prices would significantly reduce our need for electricity. This in turn would lower our environmental impact while reducing costs for consumers. Such a program could also open up an important and necessary dialogue with American families about the need to reduce fossil fuel consumption, energy efficiency, peak oil, and climate change.
III. Funding for National Rail Projects
Railroad is the most efficient and effective method of moving goods across land. If there is a “liquid fuels crisis,” as the Hirsch report suggests there could be, having a strong rail system could alleviate pressure from the trucking industry. In order to make the rail system in our country effective, we must completely rebuild tracks for both freight and passenger transport. Two Senators, Trent Lott (R-MS) and Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ), have introduced legislation that would improve the Amtrak system. The bill itself does not propose a solution to all rail needs, but it is certainly a step in the right direction. We desperately need to revitalize rail in this country if we are to effectively deal with the coming challenges brought about by a possible “liquid fuels crisis.”
III. $10,000 Mini-Grants to all non-profit Relocalization Groups in the United States with 100+ Members
As mentioned previously, relocalization groups across the country are springing up to create strong, sustainable, and self-sufficient communities. The work that these groups are doing is immeasurably important. Yet, funding for these groups is almost nonexistent. If there were a nationally sponsored program that awarded Relocalization Groups a small grant of approximately $10,000, it would be a great boon to the effort. These groups could be qualified on the basis that they have more than one hundred members and maintain a non-profit status. There are many intelligent, creative, committed, and willing people who would like to see a more sustainable and beautiful America, and who are just waiting for the chance to pitch in a hand.
IV. Increased Funding to existing Energy Auditing and Weatherization Programs
Home energy costs have soared during the past several years. Natural gas and oil prices are likely to continue to steadily increase. This is already causing much difficulty for the nearly one-third of Americans who are living paycheck to paycheck. There are extant federal programs (such as the US Department of Energy’s Weatherization Assistance Program [WAP]), for residential energy auditing and weatherization. These programs need to be accelerated in communities across the country. We should also look for new models and programs to step up this effort.
V. Matching Funds for Renewable Energy
The U.S. Government subsidizes the oil, coal, and natural gas industries to a much greater extent than the renewable energy industry. Some claim that the subsidies to the fossil fuel industries could be as high as 50 times the amount put into renewable energies. The United States, once a leading developer of renewable energy technologies, has fallen far behind. We have continued to increase our dependency on foreign oil and gas, and we now find ourselves in a very dangerous and susceptible position. In order to level the playing field, renewable energies must receive at least as much federal funding as the fossil fuel industry. This is only fair. Either we must take away subsidies from the fossil fuel industry, or we should match funding for renewable energy sources. This could even been done over a period of time, say 10 years, in which subsidies for oil and coal companies would be reduced year after year and given instead to renewable energy development. This would drastically increase our nation’s energy security.
V. Immediate Adoption of the “Oil Depletion Protocol” and “The Earth Charter”
The last recommendation is that we immediately adopt the “Oil Depletion Protocol,” as outlined by Colin Campbell of ASPO (Association for the Study of Peak Oil) and “The Earth Charter” which was the cooperative effort of thousands of individuals the world over. The Oil Depletion protocol is the only one of its kind that promotes an intelligent and cooperative international response to the threat of peak oil and climate change. It has the potential of greatly reducing the likelihood of terrorism, war, and internal conflict during this unprecedented period of declining energy. Likewise, “The Earth Charter” represents another visionary document that will help us transition into a more just, sustainable, and peaceful world. The Earth Charter is “a declaration of fundamental principles for building a just, sustainable, and peaceful global society for the 21st century.” Whether or not these two charters/protocols would be accepted by the U.S. Congress, discussing these strategies in a national forum would be a necessary first step in confronting the most urgent problems of our times.
While this proposal is nowhere near complete and certainly imperfect, I believe that these are urgent matters that must be brought before congress now. We cannot afford to ignore the issues of peak oil and global climate change any longer.
I realize that these are no small requests. Effecting change in our society can be a daunting task, but please remember that you are not working alone. I personally would be willing to work on a more complete proposal if you would agree to sponsor such a bill, in whole or in part, and I would certainly be more than eager to give my personal testimony in congress. Furthermore, I feel confident that there are many other individuals who would be willing to contribute ideas and energy to this proposed legislation. I encourage anyone who reads this open letter to send feedback to myself and to you, Representative Bartlett.
With all due respect, thank you for your time and consideration.
Sincerely,
Theresa Bratton
Co-Director, Ohio Peak Oil Action
www.ohiopeakoilaction.org
We will be posting this proposal at www.RelocalizationWiki.org , where anyone is free to contribute to this proposal or any other issues regarding sustainability and relocalization.
Author, Affiliation, Date:
Theresa Bratton, Co-Directo of Ohio Peak Oil Action, 9-17-06
Body:
An Open Letter to Representative Roscoe Bartlett of Maryland: Proposal for a National “OIL DEPLETION MITIGATION BILL”
By Theresa Bratton
Co-Director of www.OhioPeakOilAction.org
Representative Bartlett,
I am writing to thank you for your efforts to raise awareness surrounding the issue of global peak oil production in the U.S. Congress. I am sorry to hear that some of your talks before congress have not been well attended. It truly is a shame that more of our chosen representatives are not giving the necessary attention to an issue that could prove to be so extremely important to their constituents in the near—and certainly the not too distant—future.
My name is Theresa Bratton and I am a recent graduate of Denison University in Granville, Ohio. My partner, Ryan Hottle, and I have recently founded an organization that deals with the threats of peak oil and global climate change. Our group is just one of many that are springing up across the county in response to these threats. It is wonderful to see so many people who are willing to dedicate their personal time and energy to such a worthy and necessary cause. Thank you for being one of those people.
I have spent some time pondering why the U.S. Congress has been so slow to respond to this very important issue, and how we could change that. I would have expected more heads to turn when the original results of Mr. Robert Hirsch’s study, The Peaking of World Oil Production: Impacts, Mitigation, & Risk Management, were released. It seems as if many law-makers are simply running from the issue because they refuse to accept the science or consider what might happen if world oil production does indeed decline. Those who truly understand the threat of peak oil know how problematic this unwillingness to mitigate the problem before potential crisis sets in could prove to be.
Obviously you have been working diligently to educate your peers. Yet, it seems that many of our representatives are choosing to side step what will likely be one of the gravest challenges of our generation. It seems that these representatives will need a much louder, much more direct, wake-up call. Unfortunately our media has done very little so far to bring peak oil theory into the public realm, and so the pressure on representatives from their constituents is still relatively minor. Response to global peak oil production has yet to be listed on the platform of many congress people. What we need to do is bring the matter before congress in a way that they cannot ignore.
When I read about other groups like our own that are trying to do grand things to help people face this issue (usually on a non-existent budget), I cannot help but think that we are all trying to solve the world’s problems on a nickel. These grassroots movements desperately need financial backing. If congress would allocate funds to get people working on the problems before us now, our world might be a better place for our children and grandchildren. I think this gesture would be difficult for your peers to ignore. Even if the legislation was ultimately shot down, it would get people thinking, and it might even receive some media attention.
I am writing this letter in hopes that you might consider bringing legislation before congress to allocate needed funds to peak oil, global climate change, and relocalization efforts. We must develop a concerted and concrete strategy to mitigate the threats by adopting specific measures that will deal directly with the threat of peaking world oil production.
The following are suggestions for what such a “Oil Depletion Mitigation Bill” could include:
I. Funding Farmers Transitioning from Conventional to Organic/Sustainable Methods of Food Production
Conventional agriculture involves large inputs of fossil fuel, including fertilizers, pesticides, fuel for farm machinery, and long-distance transportation. As energy costs rise, so too will the costs of these products. Ultimately, farms that can operate without these fossil fuel inputs using sustainable methods will be necessary. Already demand for organic products is soaring. However, farmers still have a difficult time during the three-year transition from conventional to organic methods because during this time they cannot receive the premium price for their produce. Further, their soils need to regenerate before they can reach full production. Giving farmers just enough funding so that they can transition during this crucial time period would encourage many farmers to convert to more sustainable methods of food production that require less fossil fuel inputs. Ultimately, this will lead to greater food security for our country. Consider also the fact that the average food product has to be shipped 1,500 miles. For this reason, funding should be primarily available to small farmers and growers who intend to sell locally.
II. A Federally Sponsored Program to Replace Incandescent Bulbs with Compact Fluorescents
Compact fluorescent light bulbs use one-fourth the energy of incandescent bulbs, and last ten times as long. A Federal Program to provide compact fluorescent bulbs to consumers for wholesale and at-cost prices would significantly reduce our need for electricity. This in turn would lower our environmental impact while reducing costs for consumers. Such a program could also open up an important and necessary dialogue with American families about the need to reduce fossil fuel consumption, energy efficiency, peak oil, and climate change.
III. Funding for National Rail Projects
Railroad is the most efficient and effective method of moving goods across land. If there is a “liquid fuels crisis,” as the Hirsch report suggests there could be, having a strong rail system could alleviate pressure from the trucking industry. In order to make the rail system in our country effective, we must completely rebuild tracks for both freight and passenger transport. Two Senators, Trent Lott (R-MS) and Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ), have introduced legislation that would improve the Amtrak system. The bill itself does not propose a solution to all rail needs, but it is certainly a step in the right direction. We desperately need to revitalize rail in this country if we are to effectively deal with the coming challenges brought about by a possible “liquid fuels crisis.”
III. $10,000 Mini-Grants to all non-profit Relocalization Groups in the United States with 100+ Members
As mentioned previously, relocalization groups across the country are springing up to create strong, sustainable, and self-sufficient communities. The work that these groups are doing is immeasurably important. Yet, funding for these groups is almost nonexistent. If there were a nationally sponsored program that awarded Relocalization Groups a small grant of approximately $10,000, it would be a great boon to the effort. These groups could be qualified on the basis that they have more than one hundred members and maintain a non-profit status. There are many intelligent, creative, committed, and willing people who would like to see a more sustainable and beautiful America, and who are just waiting for the chance to pitch in a hand.
IV. Increased Funding to existing Energy Auditing and Weatherization Programs
Home energy costs have soared during the past several years. Natural gas and oil prices are likely to continue to steadily increase. This is already causing much difficulty for the nearly one-third of Americans who are living paycheck to paycheck. There are extant federal programs (such as the US Department of Energy’s Weatherization Assistance Program [WAP]), for residential energy auditing and weatherization. These programs need to be accelerated in communities across the country. We should also look for new models and programs to step up this effort.
V. Matching Funds for Renewable Energy
The U.S. Government subsidizes the oil, coal, and natural gas industries to a much greater extent than the renewable energy industry. Some claim that the subsidies to the fossil fuel industries could be as high as 50 times the amount put into renewable energies. The United States, once a leading developer of renewable energy technologies, has fallen far behind. We have continued to increase our dependency on foreign oil and gas, and we now find ourselves in a very dangerous and susceptible position. In order to level the playing field, renewable energies must receive at least as much federal funding as the fossil fuel industry. This is only fair. Either we must take away subsidies from the fossil fuel industry, or we should match funding for renewable energy sources. This could even been done over a period of time, say 10 years, in which subsidies for oil and coal companies would be reduced year after year and given instead to renewable energy development. This would drastically increase our nation’s energy security.
V. Immediate Adoption of the “Oil Depletion Protocol” and “The Earth Charter”
The last recommendation is that we immediately adopt the “Oil Depletion Protocol,” as outlined by Colin Campbell of ASPO (Association for the Study of Peak Oil) and “The Earth Charter” which was the cooperative effort of thousands of individuals the world over. The Oil Depletion protocol is the only one of its kind that promotes an intelligent and cooperative international response to the threat of peak oil and climate change. It has the potential of greatly reducing the likelihood of terrorism, war, and internal conflict during this unprecedented period of declining energy. Likewise, “The Earth Charter” represents another visionary document that will help us transition into a more just, sustainable, and peaceful world. The Earth Charter is “a declaration of fundamental principles for building a just, sustainable, and peaceful global society for the 21st century.” Whether or not these two charters/protocols would be accepted by the U.S. Congress, discussing these strategies in a national forum would be a necessary first step in confronting the most urgent problems of our times.
While this proposal is nowhere near complete and certainly imperfect, I believe that these are urgent matters that must be brought before congress now. We cannot afford to ignore the issues of peak oil and global climate change any longer.
I realize that these are no small requests. Effecting change in our society can be a daunting task, but please remember that you are not working alone. I personally would be willing to work on a more complete proposal if you would agree to sponsor such a bill, in whole or in part, and I would certainly be more than eager to give my personal testimony in congress. Furthermore, I feel confident that there are many other individuals who would be willing to contribute ideas and energy to this proposed legislation. I encourage anyone who reads this open letter to send feedback to myself and to you, Representative Bartlett.
With all due respect, thank you for your time and consideration.
Sincerely,
Theresa Bratton
Co-Director, Ohio Peak Oil Action
www.ohiopeakoilaction.org
We will be posting this proposal at www.RelocalizationWiki.org , where anyone is free to contribute to this proposal or any other issues regarding sustainability and relocalization.
