U.S. Presidential candidates’ staffs briefed on peak oil

Just to cover my bases, in case politics and laying groundwork can do wonders, I have just spent a week in Washington, D.C. talking with staffers of Senators Obama, McCain and Clinton. Their understanding of peak oil is rising at a critical time, perhaps in time for the election, but certainly afterwards for Presidential or Senatorial initiatives.

The related issue of plastics and their threat to the oceans and public health was something I was able to link to peak oil with all of them — without eyes glazing over, nor popping out. Ideally, our catching up to China and its ban on plastic bags could become a policy option or lively point of debate.


…By the time I got involved the candidates had whittled down to three major ones. I made my appointments following excellent presentations by Robert Hirsch and Roger Bezdek who are well-known for solid peak oil analyses.

An additional reason I had to meet the energy staffers of the candidates was to discuss plastics, in hopes of a ban on disposable bags as a start. In the process, I may have located the best bet for national legislative action on plastics: Peter Welch, Democratic Congressman from Vermont, who’s a member of the Peak Oil Caucus. I left with his staff some materials which have moved many so far to take action. I believe legislators and other public officials can see that action on plastics allows one to link the issue to peak oil, climate change and war for oil (as has been done so effectively by San Francisco Supervior Ross Mirkarimi).

Energy Bulletin