Like many, but certainly not all, surfers (kook or otherwise) , my political leanings are pretty liberal. But in general, I want to keep politics out of this blog… In my opinion, most political arguments eventually break down into semantics and shouting matches, with neither side having any real hope of winning over the other. But after receiving the following email, I decided to make a post about it, and share the following with my readers…

Dear First Waves,

Oil shale extraction is a grave threat to wildlife, our public lands and our water.

Take action today and urge Congress to extend the moratorium on commercial oil shale development!

Drilling for oil and natural gas, and mining for coal has already taken a dramatic toll on our country’s public lands, wildlife habitat and natural resources.

Now, Congress is considering a proposal to end a moratorium on development of oil shale – a dangerous, new energy source which would threaten two million acres of America’s public lands!

Click here to urge Congress to oppose oil shale and support clean energy policies.

Technologies to develop oil shale can generate up to five times as much carbon dioxide as conventional gasoline production, a practice that would continue to fuel global warming – already the single greatest threat to our wildlife.

Here’s what else is at stake:

* Our water: Oil shale production will require upwards of 300 million gallons of water a day. This is a scarce resource we need for drinking, agriculture, livestock and wildlife.
* Our wildlife: Oil shale development would put at risk millions of acres of wildlife habitat, and increase the harmful impacts of global warming pollution for wildlife and their habitats.
* Our way of life: Preserving America’s public lands is an important part of our country’s conservation tradition. Oil shale development threatens to dramatically change the landscape of some of our most treasured places.

Congress is moving in the wrong direction to break America’s oil addiction.

Please ask your members of Congress to say “No” to oil shale and instead support clean energy policies that will protect our environment.

Thank you for speaking up!

To me, this is not a political issue. Anyone reading this blog is interested in surfing, after all, and surfing requires a safe, pollution free ocean to enjoy. Now, the long standing ban against off shore oil drilling is in danger of being lifted. Greedy oil barons and lobbyists are pushing this as a solution to the growing fuel crisis, even though it is well documented that less than 3% of the world’s oil supply is located within our borders.

Study after study shows that such drilling has massive long term effects on the surrounding environment, and would have no effect on current oil prices whatsoever. Please click the following link to send a message to your local government letting them know how important this issue is to you.

Do you want to surf in this? Click here to stop off shore drilling!

Our ocean waters are the blood of the human race… if we pollute them, we are poisoning ourselves, our children, and their future. Please don’t allow this to happen just so a few short sighted businessmen can justify another multi-million bonus package for themselves. Click the link below, it will literally take 5 minutes to help save our oceans. Thank you, and stay stoked!

http://ga3.org/campaign/drilling/