Why is the second largest producer of CO2 emissions, China, exempt from any of the regulations in the Kyoto Protocol? China's emissions have increased 40% from 1990 to 2003, but because the country was classified as a third world nation and the Kyoto Protocol was never amended to address any rapid industrial development, China gets a free pass.

Is opening the Anwar National Preserve the answer to the USA's prayers for reducing dependency on foreign oil producers? Yes and No - in 1948 when the Anwar was made into a National Preserve, the US consumption of oil was far less and based upon those figures, there was enough oil to last for more than 50 years.

However, in today's economy and consumption rate - there is enough oil to last the US for 10 months. Yes - 10 months. Now, here is some more food for thought; rather than drill in Alaska, why don't we reopen all those producing oil wells that were shut down in the 1980's because crude oil prices were too low.

P.S. New technology has an answer to that and I will tell you about this soon. . .

Besides, more oil is not the solution; it is just a repair to the predicament we now face. We must begin now to use, not just research, alternative fuel sources. The reason should be to help our planet and our lives. We have become a society of convenience and ease; we need to be willing to forgo some of our modern luxuries in order to preserve the Earth.

Let's think for a moment - in the present way of doing things, can anything be environmentally friendly? What I mean by that is, as long as we use the same manufacturing techniques and resources, can anything truly be considered energy conscious?

Take a solar powered vehicle for example - if at any point in the manufacture it required the use of electricity, then all though the product is environmentally safe, the manufacture of it was not.

During the holidays, why not purchase a living tree to decorate, and then plant it in the garden/yard afterwards? Not only will you have less pine needles to pick up, but you will be doing your part to help remove CO2 from our air - trees love it! And guess what they produce with it? Oxygen!

Always research any information concerning Global Warning, or anything for that matter. You need both sides of the picture before you can judge the validity of the issue.

Hold on to your shorts - I just read where the next big "toxic gas" to rid the world of is - "new car interior smell"! That's correct - it seems somebody has decided that the wonderful aroma of a new car is hazardous to breathe and needs to be reduced or done away with all together. Next, car air fresheners will be deemed unsafe to breathe as well.

Well - Are they?

Copyright (c) 2008 Mervyn Rees