I have to say that I’m on the fence about our Proposition P here, which, if passed, would ban fracking in Santa Barbara County. As I’ve mentioned elsewhere, those in favor of the ban don’t have their facts straight; the …
Category: Fossil Fuels
How Much Control Does Big Oil Really Have?
I had a discussion the other day with a fellow who studies energy closely, during which he told me, “Clean energy will happen when Big Oil decides it’s time.” I was quite surprised to hear this. Yes, the bad guys …
Specialty Hydrocarbon Fluid Production – Another Breakthrough from ExxonMobil
Those of us who believe that a rapid migration to renewable energy is underway often point to the raw power of technology advancements. We cite the numerous improvements in the efficiency of solar, wind, hydro, etc., while noting the downward …
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Replacing Coal with Natural Gas
As I wrote yesterday, a wholesale replacement of coal-fired power plants with natural gas has short-term appeal, but an unacceptable array of long-term unintended consequences, e.g., creating an environment in which the development of renewable energy isn’t financially attractive. The …
Cheap Natural Gas May Be the Devil’s Bargain
From the days in which I used to ply my trade as a marketing consultant to the Fortune 50 tech companies: IBM, H-P, Sony, Xerox, 3M, Microsoft, etc., I recall one particular client who rebuked “consultants” generally. Although he and …
Should We Ban Fracking?
Man, life is tough sometimes. One of my very best friends, a devout environmentalist, asked me today how involved I was on the 2014 California referendum that would ban fracking in our county (Santa Barbara, CA). It’s called “Measure P.” …
Lego Prefers Not To Be Associated with Destroying the Arctic–Toy Icon Won’t Renew Its Co-Marketing Arrangement with Shell Oil
It’s hard to understand public apathy on important issues, when we’re constantly bombarded with proof that our voices actually matter. Over the last 50 years, Lego, one of the most revered brands on the planet, has been ensconced in a …
Can the Koch Brothers Really Be That Evil?
I had to laugh just now when I came across this article entitled: Yes, the Koch brothers really are that evil. To explain this sort of gallows humor, I need to mention that my mother and I speak frequently about …
Few People Would Mourn the Disappearance of Koch Industries
Someone asked me recently to name some of the things I would miss most and miss least during my time here on Earth if I were to be hit by a bus this afternoon. Here’s an excerpt from what I …
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Are Koch Industies’ PR Campaigns Successful?
I wrote recently that I was mystified about PBS’s “Ask This Old House” and how it so awkwardly avoids the issue of energy and the environment. Several readers pointed out that the show is produced by WGBH in Boston, which is …
