PUMP - How to Achieve Independence From Big Oil

Just the other day I was watching Vice on ISIS and I found myself thinking, where does this end? How does this end? I felt perplexed, overwhelmed and honestly, depressed… I find it serendipitous that the very next day, the founder of Gone Green Store and I sat down and watched PUMP. We immediately realized that the information was worth sharing and even more so, calling attention to. PUMP discovered a unifying factor to our multitude of problems: economic, environmental, political, foreign policy etc. The solution is so simple… We need to utilize our natural resources and technologies here, in the U.S., to get our country out of war and end our dependency on foreign oil. I don't think that this solves everything with ISIS but here at Gone Green, we realize it's a gigantic step forward. By the end of this article, I hope that you'll agree and have a better understanding of how oil has impacted us and the world, economically, environmentally and even psychologically.

Synopsis of PUMP:  PUMP is a documentary, directed by Josh & Rebecca Tickell, that discusses the multitude of layers behind what oil really does to our economy, our government, our environment and our hearts. A film that challenges the monopoly of gas companies, pump educates its watchers about our gas crisis, how it is impacting the world and, provides us with options to lobby for. Watch the film on any of the following: Netflix, Amazon or iTunes. 

THE POWER OF CHOICE

Choice has been, and will always be, a concept of great magnitude and necessity. As PUMP illustrates the power of choice Americans exercise daily, from the products they buy to where they choose to live. We have choice in almost everything we do or want, except for gas. Sure, you have a choice in where you buy your gas, however, options for fuel itself are limited. From PUMPs point of view, this is where the monopoly of gas begins. And the thing is, we are addicted to gas, our economy is literally dependent on our relationship to gas. The good new is, there are resources available to us that give us a choice, break the monopoly, and allow us freedom from foreign oil and high costs (fiscal and physical) associated with it.

THE REAL COST OF OUR OIL ADDICTION

Our addiction to foreign fuels has created turmoil in the U.S and abroad and the reason is simple. The demand for gas is higher than what the U.S. itself can produce, therefore we import our oil from foreign countries. Our partnership with the Middle East has revolved around the demand of gas and need for it, here in the United States. Thus, our dependency on the Middle East has cost us economically, politically and emotionally.

THE ECONOMIC CONSEQUENCES

The cost of our need for foreign oil can be traced back to when OPEC, Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries, cut the supply of oil worldwide in 1973 after the U.S. Failed to meet OPECs demand to change its foreign policies and also, as retaliation for the u.S. supporting Israel during the 1970 Arab-Israeli War.  The embargo consequently created a huge strain on the U.S economy and a surge in unemployment. Due to the dependency on personal vehicles for work, school and the like, a shortage of gas caused a plethora of problems. One would think that after being put in a chokehold by the Middle East, the U.S would begin a search for alternative methods of fueling our cars and our economy. However, as the demand for gas grew and as the population skyrocketed, so did importation of foreign oil.

As the global demand for oil rapidly increases, so will the price of oil and in consequence, so will the price of all goods. This is largely because of our co-dependent relationship with oil and the dwindling resources for it. As you know, our main means of transportation is vehicular. Our goods are transported all over the country via semi-trucks and airbuses, both of which require oil. As oil increases in demand, resources for oil decrease and prices for oil continue to rise. As a result, we can expect the cost of goods to continue to rise in price. Begging the question, how will our struggling economy keep up with the costs deeply embedded in our relationship to oil? Simple, we demand a choice at the pump. We demand they bring our troops home and invest in more viable, cleaner options. There is money in power but we are the ones paying the bills. Now, who's got the power? (Cue Snap)

Keeping troops abroad

Instead of the U.S saying, "see ya OPEC" the U.S. invested billions of dollars building military bases around every major oil installation in the Middle East. Every year the U.S spends almost 80% of the U.S. Defense Budget on maintaining these military bases and the U.S. personnel that inhabits them. Soldiers volunteer their lives to protect other people's oil. And here is the kicker, the actual cost of the oil from opec is merely a fraction of what our country spends to keep our troops there. Many say that these military bases are means of keeping peace and defending democracy, Marc Rauc, editor of The Auto Channel, replies, "if that were really true then we would be everywhere that there is a problem, but we aren't everywhere there is a problem, we are only in those places where there is an oil problem" (PUMP). It's time to bring our troops home. 

Image from PUMP

THE ECONOMIC CYCLE THAT NEVER ENDS

Amy Myers Jaffe, the executive director of UC Davis program on energy and sustainability, explains the cyclical nature of our addiction with oil: as oil prices decrease and gas becomes cheaper, economic activity increases and the demand for oil increases. This demand creates more pressure for oil sources to meet the growing demands. When the demand for oil outweighs the accessibility of it, the economy falls just as fast as prices rise. Jaffe insists that every time a spike in price occurs, a recession shortly follows. Dr. Robert Zubrin, aerospace engineer and author, charted a graph following the rates of unemployment and the price of oil from the 1970's until 2012, the graph revealed the same inverse relationship between the cost of oil and unemployment rates. Just like the high of any addiction, the come down is twice as painful and the need for more becomes unquenchable. 

Image from PUMP

A WELL KEPT SECRET ABOUT YOUR VEHICLE

Have you ever heard of Flex Fuel Cars? Turns out that flex fuel cars is one of our gas companies best kept secrets. Flex fuel cars are cars that have the ability to use both ethanol and gasoline, and can be altered to add methanol, whether in combination or by themselves. In fact, most cars made since 1996 already have the capability to be flex fuel operational and most people don't even know it. And if your car isn't? Only costs about $150 to change it and it's as simple as going into your car computer and altering some settings. You could actually do it yourself, if it wasn't illegal (see bottom of pg. 2: E85 & Conventional Vehicles).

SO… Why aren't we using these cheaper, cleaner fuels?The answer is simple, we weren't given a choice by our government or car companies because of the oil industry's monopoly, and their lobbying to make sure alternative fuels stay off the streets. However, we can break this monopoly and it all starts with giving us a choice at the pump. Contact your State Representatives and Legislators to support the Open Fuel Standard Act.

WE, THE PEOPLE, CAN..

• Educate yourself on alternative fuels here. 
• Find & support Alternative Fuel Stations in your area
• Tell your Legislators and State Representatives to support the Open Fuel Standard Act. 
• Demand fuel choices by signing this petition. 
• Spread awareness: share pump the movie with your friends and/or host a screening. 
• Have you already seen the film? Write a review that tells others the importance of watching this film. 
• Bring an alternative gas station to your city.

Interested in learning more about alternative fuels? Click here.