(1) I don’t believe there is conclusive evidence the planet is warming. If it is warming, no worries — it has in the past and will in the future. What man does or doesn’t do will not and cannot cause it or stop it.
(2) I do not agree that man-made global warming is not “proven science.” Plenty of scientists do not subscribe to this. Check out the East Anglia documents.
(3) Americans consume more than the rest of the world (electricity, gas, etc.) in large part because we use the energy to produce lots and lots of stuff (in manufacturing, for example). Sure, individually we consume more than individuals in other countries as well. That comes with prosperity. It’s good to be prosperous. It’s good to have a warm (or cool) house, running water, electric lights, etc. All that means production (and consumption), and I am all for it.
(4) I do not accept the presupposition behind the stewardship argument being made here — that drilling for oil will somehow permanently change the landscape for the worse. The earth is not delicate. It is resilient. I think it would be worse stewardship to leave the resources untouched. Yes, drill it all. When the oil is gone, dismantle the equipment, and within a few years no one will be able to tell anything happened.
(5) On what basis do you say gluttony is wrong, and who defines it?
(6) There is plenty of dogma on both sides of this discussion, as far as I can see. My views are my views! I would not hold them if I did not think they were correct; I am sure you would say the same. Everyone is dogmatic about something (in some cases, people dogmatically assert that others should not be dogmatic!). The main thing is to pick the right things to be dogmatic about, and to have the right basis for the dogmatism.
(7) I would ride with you anytime! (And buy you a brew afterward — or a whiskey & cigar!) Bikes are the most efficient form of transportation yet invented, and the most fun — I am sure we agree about that!

Roll on!

What is this fake morality? What is this subjective and false standard? According to who is it false?

You say you don’t believe global warming is man-made….then how is it made? How you can you be so arrogant to reject proven science and fact that man is contributing to a deterioration of our environment?

You say you choose to bike in order to not spend (consume) so much but then you go on to say in your comments that it’s all about “production” …we’re only big producers because we’ve become big consumers so when you are against consuming in order to save money and time but for production you’re really shooting yourself in the foot with your argument.

You say we should drill it all and then talk about it….how selfish is this statment? Let’s say to hell with future generations right? Let’s not protect this world and all it’s creatures and resources that your God gave you so that future generations can enjoy it. This is quite surprising to hear but then again does one expect from believer of dogma rather than fact.

Has gluttony not showing itself in how much we consume? in how lazy we are? in how out of shape we are? in how much we waste? in how much we polute?….you’re right, if Mrs. Jones wants to drive her mini van 2 blocks to the store that’s her right but it’s still gluttonous
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becareful when throwing around your likely dogmatic views on morality….there’s much more to it. Doing the “right” thing doesn’t apply only to ourselves in this moment or time…it’s about us, our neighbors, society, our world and all those in the future who will take over what we leave to them.

I can appreciate the reasons why you bike…and no one will dispute saving money and getting exercise are great things that lead to so many other pleasures in life….. Let’s ride together however to a belief in a mode of transportation that has been around before cars and will be around much long after cars (fossil fuel based ones). Bikes will last for generations and lifetimes and with those freedoms gained by using a bike for whatever reason….this, my friend, is what we should pass along to our future!

Cheers

I do not subscribe to the premise of “oil is a finite resource” as a basis for public policy. Let’s drill all we can, and then we can talk about it. But we’re not doing that now. We don’t actually know how much oil we have, because we’re too busy “protecting” caribou.

I also do not agree that “gluttony of the few is generally bad for the many,” in the context of energy consumption. America’s energy consumption is not gluttony — it is production. No doubt we use more resources than anyone else in the world. That’s because we produce more than anyone in the world. In this case, the production of the few greatly benefits the many.

I am not saying the environmentalists are fake. I think they legitimately believe what they espouse. I am saying their standard of morality is fake, because it is based on a subjective and false standard. They have a poor understanding of what constitutes abuse of creation. And they are trying to legislate it on the rest of us, to our detriment.

Please don’t call it “fake” morality. Why not acknowledge the good that is done by conserving natural resources? It doesn’t have to be your reason for riding, and it’s certainly not up to anyone else to judge your motives. But we can all at least get behind the idea that oil is a finite resource, and gluttony of the few is generally bad for the many. Can’t we?

The environmentalists may make you crazy, but they’re not “fake.” They’re genuine and passionate, and if they tweak our conscience a little bit and make us think about being responsible for creation instead of abusing it, and accountable to our fellow man instead of ignorant of him, well, that’s ok with me.