Its so obvious that my 1988 Ford Festiva (averaged 45MPG & still have it) was needed in 1988 & is so much more important in 2008. I even took the bus at times despite my Festiva. Its time & way past time for gas guzzler people to reexamine their wants & see if their lives can operate even better with more efficient transportation. Surely they will have more money instead of burning unnecessary fuel.

And they will spend less than $0.25 billion on solar/geothermal/hydro/wind combined.

Our soaring oil import bill is a disgrace and every congressmen, senator, and president that has held office over the past 20 years should bow his and her head in shame as the resulting damage to the U.S. economy and global environment grows to new heights.

The dollar is plummeting under the weight of endless U.S. budget and trade deficits, soaring dollar holdings worldwide, and all these cowards had to do was impose higher fuel and/or a carbon tax to reduce oil consumption and imports, encourage innovation, energy efficiency, and electrification of transportation. I think that future generations of Americans, saddled with a soaring federal and foreign debt, a hot and eventually dry climate, an environmental genocide resulting from the massive extinction of defenseless wildlife and plant life, will curse our current leadership and lack of action to clean up this mess. Buffet has it wrong.

GreyFlcn + Mean&Green:

Yes, less than $1 billion a year for solar-geothermal-hydro-wind combined but $400+ billions a year for imported oil by 2008 (+ many more billions for imported NG, electricity and ethanol) is far from being a balanced (or intelligent) energy approach.

Add another $150+ billions for Oil wars and a possible $150+ a barrel oil price for 2009/10 and the situation may be a lot worse.

How can the American public agree and support such shortsighted (pro-oil) leadership when they very knew that 200 million gas guzzlers would quickly gulp 2 to 3 times the oil that USA can produce.

Changing 200 million (under 20/22 mpg) gas guzzlers for 200 million efficent 50+ mpg vehicles (hybrids-PHEVs and BEVs) is not an overnight affair and will take up to 20-25 years.

Producing corn ethanol and other biofuels at the rate of 18 million barrels/day is not possible without drastically reducing food production.

The choice (for the short and mid terms) may be between importing food or Oil to keep the inefficent fleet on the road.

A crash national program to develop, produce, promote and sell PHEVs + BEVs to replace the older (worse) gas guzzlers, at an accellerated rate (up to 10+ million units a year) could reduce the transition period by a few years. France is doing just that by offering up to $10K towards the purchase of a BEV to people who will scrap an older gas guzzler. Why coundn't USA do likewise for the purchase of PHEVs and BEVs and to take 10+ year old vehicles and gas guzzlers off the roads.

Truly sickening. $4 a gallon for your car, and billions to fight wars against scummy countries overseas. We're funding terrorism; paying to kill our own countrymen & military members........energy independence now!

litesong:

Are you saying that the average American would rather give up other essentials in order to keep driving their huge (monster) gas guzzlers.

If so, the 'bigger' & 'heavier' than yours addiction is rooted much deeper than I thought and USA may be in for a rough ride.

Turning every thing that grows into fuel may not provide the 15 to 20 million barrels a day required to feed this persistent addiction.

Will we see more costly Oil wars to ensure Oil supply?

Will much higher oil price make a difference and reduce consumption? If not, the trade deficit will reach new summits and the USA $ new lows. A lower USD means higher Oil price (in USA dollars).

Of course Canada could help with about 5 million barrels a day from the tar sands but the economic, environment and political price will be high.

Let's hope that the next generation will adopt other values.

Santos, European politicians are able to charge higher fuel taxes, adopt congestion, carbon taxes and/or cap and trade, and sleep around while still staying in office. Note also that the Euro is one of the strongest currencies in the world, and energy prices are not increasing in Euro terms.

But you are right in one sense, we Americans elect these morons, even though they are helping to destroy our economy, our way of life, and our environment, while mortgaging our children's future through oil wars, and rising foreign and government debt. U.S. conservatives espouse a bankrupt ideology that advocates: tax cuts regardless of government spending levels; so-called free trade regardless of a country's human rights, labor and environmental practices; protecting the life of the conceived and unborn, but trashing the lives of future generations; pre-emptive war in anticipation of vague terrorist threats but do nothing policies with respect to climate change, environmental genocide, and the poverty of developing countries; safe haven for terrorists in allied countries (Pakistan and Saudi Arabia), but warfare with countries(e.g., Iraq) that are hostile to the U.S., even if they are state level rather than terrorist threats; and providing military protection to middle east oil producers so they can in turn fund Islamic terrorists and supply our international rivals with cheaper oil.

$4 a gallon for your car, and billions to fight wars against scummy countries overseas. We're funding terrorism; paying to kill our own countrymen & military members

It's a Win-Win situation for Halliburton, Blackwater, KBR, Exxon, GOP......

I have a great idea. We're at war right--and our oil money is like a tax from the same people who our trying to shoot at us. So let's have us a good old fuel rationing. We did it in WW2, we can do it again. Starting in let's say 6 months (allow people time to reconfigure their scheduels), give a tiered system based on need, and that's it. If you need more--tough luck. Have the feds subsidize public transportation more and increase service.

Cervus

Look at this link
http://europe.theoildrum.com/node/2396

but suggest you to type "peak coal" on google

Are you aware that U.K. recently downgraded theiir coal reserves by 90% ? yes 90%. The problem is that except energy watch group recently they haven't been any audit on the coal reserves in US since 1970s. I bet you that onc the peal oil would be admitted widely will hear about peak coal...

For the natural gas, in the link you posted even 168 Trillions cub feet gas would provide 6 years additional US consumption, significant but really that much, when you look at the ability of america to waste energy.

Neil

I am afraid that in the incoming decades we will go from one peak to another...but no I am not a doomer who is just expecting the whole thing to collapse with contentment. I am just trying to point out that fleeing from one energy fossil to antother will not necessary help us while agressive energy conservation strategy could help a lot when stimulating the economy and even improving our quality of life. (example : if american were using more bicyle they would be more fit :) with less heart diseases and the industry of bicycle would florish, but also the quality of life in our cities will be much better)

Treehugger, don't forget to include (in your calculations of health cost) the increase in injuries and deaths resulting from an increase in bicyclists. Many drivers don't pay attention well enough to properly share the road and many bicyclists don't have a clue when it comes to traffic laws (riding through cross walks, running stop signs, running red lights, etc).

You will either have bicyclists in roads without properly marked bike lanes or bicyclists running down pedestrians on sidewalks. Actual bike lanes are sparse in many areas.

Patrick

You are right but then we will have to make the car "bicycle gentle" and the bicycle "pedestrian gentle" quite a techno-challenge that will motivate VC to invest in... :)