Recently I wrote a paper for my ENWR class that involved much research about the proposal for the construction of a crude oil pipeline through the Midwest of the United States by the TransCanada oil company titled Keystone XL. Research on the various pros and cons of this project brought to my attention the opportunity for creative destruction that crude oil brings to the table in the United States. I am now of the opinion that instead of perhaps supporting the perpetuation of the US's dependency on foreign oil through the potential approval of this pipeline, more resources should be invested in the development and availability of renewable energy to the masses. The creative destruction/phasing out of oil, and in its place the diffusion of sustainable energy would admittedly be a very precarious and difficult situation due to the prevalence of oil in our everyday lives, however it would provide a great opportunity for economic growth. In the debate over Keystone XL and developments in clean energy some embrace this opportunity for creative destruction while others are fearful of it and cling to the oil industry that they know and somehow love. The article from Pew below gives many insightful statistics about who does or does not not support Keystone XL and the continuation of the US' involvement with foreign oil as our primary source of energy.
Pew article:
http://www.people-press.org/2013/09/26/continued-support-for-keystone-xl-pipeline/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=680ZSxYJcUQ
Above is a link to a Youtube video that is demonstrative of a particular groups' stigma against Prop 39, a proposition proposed in 2012 in California that would encourage job growth in clean energy. The newscaster representing this opinion seems to be more concerned about potential job loss because of this proposition than the job creation it could foster.
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