Party Vibe

I don’t think its just government or just oil companies though although they are the biggest offenders..

Tax is (mis)spent on wars to get us cheap oil, and “security considerations” because the wars make people in other countries so angry they train people to go around blowing things up and make everyone more angry and paranoid. A vicious circle.

Oil companies answer only to the market – but the market is also dictated by consumer demand (that means us!).

Renewable energy vehicles have been around for over 100 years (mostly electric cars).

The problem with electric vehicles is that the batteries only last for about 50-100 miles between charge; and until very recently their top speeds were limited. They are still perfectly adequate for local deliveries within towns and IMO more use should be made of them for this purpose

The “need for speed” / gary boy culture is also still a great driver (no pun intended!) in the current car market. I see loads of people at raves who appear to be only in their late teens with 2.0 litre+ modified vehicles (and later you see them midweek on many message boards moaning about the running costs of such vehicles!)

Its true that Big Oil companies are holding back on renewable energy cars (especially in the USA where there is less regulation on the market) but at the same time when there less market demand for these why are they as commercial companies going to make the investment? It will need bigger customers (such as corporate vehicle fleets) to produce this demand which is only just happening.

Also perhaps one reason for increased prices is increased demand of a scarce resource? People travel a lot more these days..

it does seem like there is a disproportionate collective punishment (the increased regulations) because a minority of idiots have been fucking about and not doing things properly – would make more sense to let people use the alternative fuels; but to nick anyone with a polluting vehicle (after all how many normal vehicles are on the road that are badly maintained?)

anything that reduces demand for overseas oil reduces both environmental damage and the increase of serious global conflict – surely its worth a potential drop in tax revenues?

that said there is a danger when commercial biodiesel becomes popular it will be gained from the destruction of SE Asian rainforests to plant palm trees

Its already happening though; how else does a Chinese woman in suburban Malaysia end up with a hybrid wild-cat (half domestic Siamese, half “flat headed cat” wild breed found in rainforests) unless the animals are being forced from their native habitat?