The Cranky Driver

Being a conscientious driving enthusiast is not without its problems, especially about the environment. I wrote an article about this over 10 years ago, and more recently, the Booth Babe wrote about the same issue. I have no straightforward solution to this topic. Not even a bent, twisted one. But I bring this topic up today because of the BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.

I have to admit that oil companies get me very cranky. It maddens me that they make so much money, and yet hike up gas prices. I hate the damage they are capable of. And I hate that I need them to feed my driving addiction.

So on top of the following problems BP is causing for untold years to come:

• environmental impact on the sea life in the Gulf
• environmental impact along the coastal region
• economic impact on the families in the area

they are also wasting oil that could be used to fuel our cars. The nerve.

(And yes, that last part is a joke. It’s the internet, these things need to be explained.)

Whoa, mercy, mercy me
Oh, things ain’t what they used to be, no no
Oil wasted on the oceans
And upon our seas, fish full of mercury
--Marvin Gaye (1971)

I’ve been buying BP gas for my cars for about 25 years, all the way back when it was Amoco here in the States. (Back then, some of the gas stations I used still had the old Standard Oil logo, the company John D. Rockefeller created.)

There is no easy solution to stop this oil spill. I’m an engineer, so I understand that theoretical solutions may not work out practically. But BP is one of the largest companies in the world, with annual revenues from $245-366 billion over the last 4 years. They should have done a better job preventing, minimizing, and containing this disaster.

For my tiny part in this catastrophe, I am voting with my wallet and will no longer buy BP gas.

For those who are on Twitter, I would recommend following @BPGlobalPR, who does not work for BP (this would seem obvious after reading their posts, but again, this is the internet so this, too, has to be explained).

You can find out more about @BPGlobalPR and Leroy Stick here.

If you’re a Lady Gaga fan, you can try this song.

If you want to see how big this spill is, check out this site. Warning: The links on this site will make you angry.

http://paulrademacher.com/oilspill/

argh...