[BariGrootrego]

People can moderate their oil consumption in many ways. I for example choose not to own a car because I don't need one - I don't even need to use public transport to get to work. So whatever my personal consumption is, I bet it's a fraction of yours - and I'll bet yours is a fraction of the average American...

You aren't living in NA.

Distances are vast and the northern parts get kind of cold in the winter. It's not all gluttony Moby.

[soydaykam]

It is true that now the Canadian oilsands -- which was supposedly the environmental bad boy, is now being seen as more acceptable. The oilsands naysayers will be back in force . . . the optic of the massive holes in the earth are too good for the envro folks to pass up--- But for now Canadians can point out how less likely a catastropic spill is to occurr in the oilsands

Until we pipe it to the coast and super tankers fly by the Queen Charlottes to top up enroute to China.

Come to think of it, Enbridge can likely shelve that idea now.

[hitaEtela]

Well, you seem to miss the point that it's actually you that are the real culprit here - it's your demand of oil that are the reason for this disaster.

This is not true. In order to participate in the modern world one must travel daily to work, source energy to heat and cool one's house, and [mainly in terms of oil consumption] buy food and a whole lot of crap that one can throw out and update in a year or so.

Oil and coal were the first cabs off the rank at the beginning of the industrial revolution, and so have market dominance, as well as massive economies of scale after centuries of investment in their discovery, extraction and distribution.

Thus for your average pleb the only choice they have in order to participate is to consume oil and coal, while these actively discourage the uptake of alternatives in order to protect the investments they've made described above.

Thus it is oil and coal companies who drive dependence on oil and coal.

[Metalhead]

This is not true. In order to participate in the modern world one must travel daily to work, source energy to heat and cool one's house, and [mainly in terms of oil consumption] buy food and a whole lot of crap that one can throw out and update in a year or so.

Oil and coal were the first cabs off the rank at the beginning of the industrial revolution, and so have market dominance, as well as massive economies of scale after centuries of investment in their discovery, extraction and distribution.

Thus for your average pleb the only choice they have in order to participate is to consume oil and coal, while these actively discourage the uptake of alternatives in order to protect the investments they've made described above.

Thus it is oil and coal companies who drive dependence on oil and coal.

Uhmn, you have just proven my point - it's you and Mobby that are to blame for BP's accident due to your craving for oil.

[Crundaangerge]

Yeah, that is true, but some cars do actually goes some 20 km/l, but they aren't the first choice

On that I can agree with you. People in big ass vehicles generally annoy me, particularly since most of them can't even handle a large vehicle in the first place (much less need one). It makes my day when I can sit and wait forever for some idiot to park their SUV.

[Adwetyren]

Does Oil jump in your way when you try to use a renewal?

[Accecyncphory]

Oil and coal were the first cabs off the rank at the beginning of the industrial revolution, and so have market dominance, as well as massive economies of scale after centuries of investment in their discovery, extraction and distribution.

.

[STYWOMBORGOSY]

ricketyclik, oil/coal has only the influence they have because there are no alternatives - currently we have 20 % WE though it's more like 12 in reality) tbh. I can't really see coal/oil dissapear for the next 30-40 years despite fanatic claims.

No, I can't see it going anywhere either. But not because it couldn't be. Australia just spent billions of dollars on an economic stimulus package. The primary aim of the expenditure was to get money in to the economy. What if all of that money had been spent on solar thermal power plants? Most of our domestic energy consumption would be non-emitting by now.

Why wasn't it? The idea was put forward. The money would still be in the economy. No satisfactory answer was given.

[PekHyvac]

Oh, lord this is silly.

[Sipewrio]

Exactly!

BP = wake up call for the US!

As for the distances being vast, maybe Canada can get away with that sort of assertion, but the US cannot. Sure the US is a huge country, but unless your job specifically requires you to travel hundreds of miles every day, then it's a crap argument. As for the weather etc, there's various kinds of insulation for the cold and natural ventilation methods for the heat...

America from an energy POV is built on inefficiency, profligacy and just plain fat-assed bone idle laziness...

Public transit isn't a realistically viable option for commutes unless you live in a high-density population area.

You've obviously never lived in a city where busses come every 30 minutes (every hour in off-peak times), then take a 15 min bus ride to a train station where you wait 15 minutes to take a train 30 minutes to transfer to another bus which comes every 30mins/1hour. All in -30C weather.

With a car you can get there in under 30 minutes.

(Note: This was a realistic transit scenario between my house and my SO's house for years)

[antiggill]

And going along with what Asher said, the price of public transit tokens and transfers often mean it's more expensive than driving.

I very much doubt that when you factor in insurance costs + car capital costs + maintenance costs + gas costs...

I can get unlimited public transit in Toronto for $100/mo. My car insurance alone with a perfect record and being insured constantly and driving constantly for 10-years (since I was 16) is $250/mo in Toronto. Not to mention gas, maintenance, and how much it cost to begin with.

[toponlinecasinoer]

Why would it be fair to tax them more just because you don't like them?

You have a twisted sense of fairness in Australia, nanny nazi state of the 21st century. A model for every country of what NOT to be.

[Squeernemergo]

The more I learn about Australia the less I like it.