Posted on 06/20/2008 6:18:29 AM PDT by Tolik
Gas is $4 a gallon. Oil is $135 a barrel and rising. We import two-thirds of our oil, sending hundreds of billions of dollars to the likes of Russia, Venezuela and Saudi Arabia. And yet we voluntarily prohibit ourselves from even exploring huge domestic reserves of petroleum and natural gas.
Conservation is a legitimate tool -- though not necessarily a decisive one. Fact is, we already practice a higher degree of conservation now than we did, say, fifty years ago. That's because, over time, the free market automatically leads to the most efficient use of resources.
And we should continue to practice conservation in accord with market forces rather than a government mandate. When re-cycling, for example, becomes worth our while, we'll do it without it being mandated by the government. Otherwise, re-cycling is probably a waste of the resources involved -- no matter how much "feel good" allowance is banked.
By the same token, as the price of oil escalates (if it does), I'm certain that additional means of conservation will be developed and undertaken. A generation's worth is probably realistic.
Don't mistake me. I'm all in favor of conservation. I am, after all, a conservative.
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