That 1970's Energy Narrative

Ever since the early 1970’s the public has assumed the U.S. is running out of domestic sources of energy. The OPEC oil crisis of 1973 reinforced this idea as people waited in long lines to buy gasoline at skyrocketing prices. Much of the current opposition to natural gas development stems from the persistent narrative that energy is scarce and all fossil fuels are bad for the environment.

These ideas have been repeated so many times they have become unquestioned articles of faith in many segments of our society. Reports fitting this old familiar story line often seem more credible than those that don’t. But, the energy facts have changed and the all-too-familiar 1970’s energy narrative is now as badly out of date as those flared white trousers John Travolta wore in Saturday Night Fever.

http://eidmarcellus.org/marcellus-shale/that-1970s-energy-narrative...

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Comment by Thomas J Shepstone on October 21, 2012 at 9:41am

So well said, Debbie!

Comment by Debbie on October 17, 2012 at 3:55am

When I was in college in the late 1970's, I had a course in which we learned about many topics from biology and ecology and their relation to society.  We had a famous environmentalist of that time come speak to the class, he was so excited about that this wonderful new type of rock had been discovered.  That rock?  Oil shale.  At that time he was bemoaning the fact that the only way to get it from the then known deposits was to strip mine it and then use all kinds of expensive processes to extract the oil.  I can hear him now....if only we could do it without such large deep strip mines.....if only we could get the oil out without the expense and difficulty...if only there was a way, our energy woes would be solved.   Amazing that now someone has figured out how to get that the petrochemicals out of the shale, the environmentalists wish to stop it.  Perhaps they should go back and learn from their elders. 

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