Oil series: part four

Twenty-seven years ago, the president of the United States spoke truth to the American people. In 1977 President Jimmy Carter stared straight into the soul of his country and declared, "ours is the most wasteful nation on earth." At the time, American consumption of hydrocarbon fuels was twice that of Germany and Japan, with the two enjoying comparable standards of living. It was a courageous statement, considering that Americans are not accustomed to hearing criticism from their politicians.

Carter went on to implore the country to make sacrifices, and begged Americans "not [to] be selfish or timid if [they hoped] to have a decent world for [their] grandchildren." It was a remarkable speech, perhaps unparalleled in our history.

It fell on deaf ears however, as Americans took the selfish route. They did not want to hear that they would have to cut back on consumption and drive smaller cars. They did not want to hear that they would need to conserve electricity. The president warned of an impending shortage of petroleum, and of its dire socio-economic implications. Carter proposed a plan to conserve, and to develop alternative methods of energy generation. It was a bold plan, and conservative America was not ready for it.

Carter's ideas, and the solar panels he installed on the roof of the White House, were dumped in favor of the "Reagan revolution." Reagan's economists believed that the market would solve the problem of oil shortages. Government has always provided the impetus for the development of major new technologies, and that initiative will be necessary if we are to hold out any hope for the future of alternative energies.

To make matters worse, the Reagan administration wasted hundreds of billions of dollars on weapons systems. Reagan's irresponsible deficit spending has made the prospects of government financed research and development into alternative fuels quite dim. In 1977 it may have been possible to avert a major crisis, but with oil prices now at 50 dollars a barrel, it appears we may be too late.

World oil production will soon reach a peak, and from there it will start its steady march downward, with less available each year to fuel economic activity. Jimmy Carter was the only president in history that had the courage to admit that.

Conservation is the most important thing that we can do to prepare for the crisis. Recently, California's emissions board required automakers to produce more fuel-efficient vehicles.

Unfortunately it is being opposed by a number of groups including automakers and the federal government. We can also start using public transportation more. If that proves too onerous, organizing groups for carpooling can also help save gas. Buying locally grown food from the farmer's market, held every Friday at the Promenade, will also help. Growing your own food organically (commercial pesticides and fertilizers require oil to manufacture) can be a rewarding experience as well.

In Carter's own words: If we fail to act [now], we will face an economic, social and political crisis that will threaten our free institutions.

This article is the last in a four-part series on oil by Sterling Harris, a history major at CSULB.