U.S.A. Not Dependent on MidEastern Oil: Good or ?

The new hot spots for oil deposits now seem to be in the Americas, both North and South. As a result we are less dependent upon foreign oil, particular that from the Mideast; so this is a good thing right? The Washington Post just did a article on it as well as other news agencies.

I’m not at all sure about all that. First there is the problem that a good deal of the oil in the U.S. is oil available by fracking; a process whose impact on the environment is unproven and may prove to be very dangerous. Even the dictionary in my word processor does not even know the word. The oil in South America is more traditional, so that I see as a good thing in a sense.

But the real danger of the so-called good news in that it gives us a false sense of danger past. Ah, we’ve got new oil at hand which we can even export so we don’t have to worry about developing alternative energy sources. That, I believe could be disastrous thinking. All fossil fuels are limited and those who supply it have less than stellar records of economic and ecological responsibility. So, I worry that with more available oil research and development of alternative clean energy work will be delayed even though it is obvious needed and a better source for the future.

Every silver lining has a cloud.