The truth of this article is not pleasant to swallow, but in the long run truth is better for us than self deception. I have dreamed since my youth of seeing the world transformed into something better. Now in my later years, I am realizing that this just is not going to happen in my lifetime, and maybe never. The accumulated negative karma of humankind will demand increasingly heavy payments in suffering and degradation that is now largely unavoidable. The only thing new is the scale of these effects. Our bad karma has been yielding its payload of suffering and disaster since the beginning of history. The only positive outlook is in the personal lives of those who still love and create beauty in their relationships in spite of the ongoing unraveling of all decency and truth in the world around them. The "Desiderata" still offers some solace to such as these...

We are in a sea of heterosexism, one that continues to breed children at a rate of three additional kids per second.

Then goes shopping and blames the world's problems on homosexuals, or corporations, or someone else.

Come on Vermont. You're smarter than most states. Do yourself a favor and help spread the word on hemp and algae that can both replace petroleum 100%. While you're at it, don't let those reefer madness progandists, environmentalists who incorrectly believe that hemp and algae release more carbon than petroleum into the atmosphere, or the MIC lie to you about hemp and algae being bad biofuels. It's not that hard to research and find out and those two crops can be grown in any climate. How's that for green jobs in VT?

Why would the federal government want to free itself from the "shackles of big money?"

This article gets some things right and others wrong. Who's at fault for the BP disaster (not "spill")? "Is it BP itself? Halliburton? The Minerals Management Service? Transocean? President Barack Obama? Former Vice President Dick Cheney?"

Is this a multiple choice? It's all of the above, every one of them, along with the entire oil industry and the governments enabling them which have MADE us dependent on oil for nearly everything in our lives. I am not personally "addicted" to oil, even though I use my share of the damned stuff like nearly everyone else not living in a cave, foraging for my food, and writing by candlelight with a quill pen. Millions of uses for plastic have made us a plastic and fossil fuel dependent world, but that doesn't mean we're all addicts. It means we have no CHOICE in the matter. When did ordinary people vote for an economy top-heavy with petroleum products? It's entirely possible that some substance might have been mass produced that could have been just as "convenient" as plastic and nowhere near as polluting and environmentally destructive as petroleum. But that wasn't on the table, since the oil companies decided unilaterally, with zero input from us nobodies, that OIL was our only destiny.

It's the same reason they have systematically blocked for 50 years the R&D on solar and wind energy that would have made them affordable. Those alternatives, as this article states, are available if you can afford them, like energy efficient cars. They're out of reach for the vast majority, which is part of the oil companies' business plans. Until THEY can be guaranteed to make at least as many profits from alternative energies as they do with oil, there will not be an alternative energy future for any of us. All that will exist is boutique alternatives for the well-heeled, a personal state-of-the-art windmill here and there, a solar panel now and then. All owned by upscale enviro types who think they're "off the grid."

But nothing but oil for the rest of us, and if alternatives ever were universally available, they'd be as expensive as oil now is, if not more so. Because the oil industry OWNS Washington, and our little voting has nothing to do with any of it. Obama is owned by them, Wall Street banksters, Big Insurance and Pharma . . . uh, he's owned by capitalism. And that's his comfort zone. He's as uncomfortable wrestling with the untidy difficulties of serving The People as every president for the past 50 years has been. Put him in conference with oil executives and their class, and Obama shines. Force him to address the wrecked lives and destroyed environment these corporations have caused and he's a bumbling hedger and liar.

I disagree with the editorial telling us to just shut up and swallow the bitter pill. As Ephraim pointed out, as long as the capitalists are systematically undermining any path to change, we're back in square one every time. Speaking of solar panels, you have to own a home before you can even think of putting solar panels and then you have to be prepared to face possible restrictions on placing solar panels. Speaking of riding bicycles, how many of you really think that you can ride 20 miles to work in a 90 degree heat or a 20 degree freeze? And what about the drivers who have no respect for bicyclists? Very few roads have bike lanes and even then drivers in this country have been trained by society to look at bicyclists and pedestrians on hostile terms. Speaking of hybrids, my fucking boss brags about owning one and says that I should consider owning one instead of asking that I be allowed to work from home. Thankfully I'm leaving for new employment hopefully closer to home but thought I'd bring this up. Maxpayne, I must disagree with you somewhat on hemp and algae. They may substitute for petroleum but that is a moot point until we demolish our current system that is capitalist and allow socialism to prevail, something neither the conservatives or even liberals dare admit.

This editorial is spot-on except for it's 'either/or' opinion of our options.

None of us Peasants can afford to jump from an oil to a no-oil lifestyle overnight.

But we all CAN afford to do WHATEVER WE CAN to pull back as much as possible. We can drive less, bike/walk/scooter more, weatherize a few windows at a time, buy the least amount of petroleum-based products possible, and spread the word that it's a ramping up/weaning-off process, not an on/off switch.

What we CAN afford to do is think about the problem EVERY time we reach for our wallets, and make the best choice available that promotes a better world.

Breaking the control Big Corporate Everything has on Our government means taking away their one and only weapon - the money. Without that, they're nothing...

"despite how hard we might try to avoid things made from oil every aspect of our lives is touched by it." And why is that? It's certainly not because other things could not replace oil. It's the oil-dominated, corporate-controlled, federal government that is causing the problem.

Here in Oregon, our state legislature overwhelmingly passed Senate Bill 676 in 2009. It permits production and possession of industrial hemp and trade in industrial hemp commodities and products. Authorizes State Department of Agriculture to administer licensing, permitting and inspection program for growers and handlers of industrial hemp.

Making excuses and supporting helplessness, as this editorial does, is the american way. The same american way that still refuses to acknowledge that hemp could replace most of the oil-based products listed here. Right now. Today. But apparently, it will only happen after we abolish the federal government.

"It's impossible for us to rid our lives of petroleum products unless we are willing to grow our hair long and start a commune or go back to rubbing two sticks together to make fire." With that asinine comment, this writer for the Brattleboro Reformer has already taken those two sticks and shoved them right up his butt!

"It's impossible for us to rid our lives of petroleum products unless we are willing to grow our hair long and start a commune or go back to rubbing two sticks together to make fire."

Nonsense! Many of us are already making the transition successfully.

What consumers can do is make changes on their own such as quit driving everywhere. Bike, walk or buy an electric golf cart.

Do we want to bury the USA in arrogance and debt to other governments?

President Obama should have replaced Robert Gates on day one for brother Bob is a war monger. He'll never end the war. He is among the Bush familiy of politicians. Notice how the war has expanded instead of winding down.

CIA Veteran: How Robert Gates Cooked the Intelligence

http://motherjones.com/politics/2006/12/cia-veteran-how-robert-gates-cooked-intelligence

In some home town meetings across the nation on Saturday sponsored by conservative republicans 51% of participants said cut defense spending. The meetings entitled "America Speaks - Our Budget Our Economy spoke very clear on this matter.

The dead bodies and trillions of dollars as a result of war need to stop!

Isn't it odd. The USA provided weapons to the Taliban to chase out Russia who wanted the same thing our war mongers want --- the oil.

So why is it okay for the USA to wage war on countries that did NOT attack the USA when it was NOT okay for Russia to wage war?

President Obama is wayyyyyyyyy too concerned about bi-partisanship. Republicans do not give a damn and haven't for 30 years.

Our economy and image is far more important than bi-partsisanship.

Based on everything I have heard and read, I blame BP.

We should not be afraid to place blame where it is due.

If we were to take that childish verse about fingers of blame pointing back at us as our guide for inaction, no one would ever be blamed -- or held responsible -- for anything.

If the ultimate point is that we are all responsible for trying to reform our government, then I have to agree.

Let's not forget the achievements of other central governments as well. For instance when a young oil company failed and couldn't make a profit, the British government bought it and was able to turn that company into one of the biggest most successful oil companies in the world, British Petroleum. Hooray for big government!

http://intelligentrebellion.org/know-about-hemp/
skip down to the history of hemp as Public enemy #1 and THEN go back and read it all.

I think everyone should just stay in their houses or wherever they live, on the streets or under a bridge, only walk wherever they have to go, drink water from rain puddles and eat roots and berries, wear nothing but clothing found in dumpsters, and stare at our dying world in wonder. Doing anything else is HYPOCRISY!

If I lived in Brattleboro, I'd be way more concerned about
the "Yankee" plant, and it's radiation leaks.
The "news/editorials" often serves to distract....
You know....as in "psy-op".

there's no TIME to wait for legislation or "green" techonology.

during WWII, the message was "use it up, wear it out, make it do - or do without". we all remember clearly GWB telling us to go shopping after 9/11, and things have only gotten worse since. not only have we not been asked to be accountable and responsible for our actions as individuals and as a country, we have been told to look the other way as these pointless wars unfold, to keep the blinders on. clearly, the bottom line is economics, and when our leaders and our corporations are one and the same, and when they do not stand to gain when the rest of us do not use their products, there will NEVER be legislation coming from the top down that will benefit the environment. no one makes a buck when the environment is saved!! only WE THE PEOPLE stand to gain when we find out that we're happier and healthier without a lot of the things we thought we needed. saving the environment, if it's ever going to happen, is going to have to be a massive grassroots effort. it's going to have to start with individual actions - use it up, wear it out, make it do - or do without. major behavioral shifts can start by simply reusing your grocery bag - if that's the first step towards feeling a sense of personal responsibility, so be it. that seemingly small action has the power grow exponentially as people seek more profound ways to make a difference.

the moment we choose NOT to try to make difference, that's when heartless cynicism sets in. and that's fine - if it feels good, do it. but if it doesn't feel good, then carry your water around in a glass jar. dry your laundry outside on a sunny day. and yes, ride your bike. even if planet earth still ends up not being able to support life six months from now, taking some responsibility now might actually feel good in the meanwhile.

USE HALF NOW campaign on facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/USE-HALF-NOW-CAMPAIGN/316473176497?ref=mf

SPACESHIP EARTH: NAVIGATORS WANTED
http://www.truthout.org/spaceship-earth-navigators-wanted59735

Good editorial, all in all, even with above critiques taken into account.

But never forget, it didn't come from the United States. It came from Vermont!

The first U.S. transnational railroad went from Island Pond VT to Canada. Obviously a subversive attempt to bring sanity to the U.S.

If those northern tier bastards had their way we'd be drinking maple syrup instead of the high fructose corn syrup that saturates our food-buying system today.

Vermonters are "terrorists by birth." If they claim to be Amerkins, report 'em to the authorities.

Solar heating in northern climates? Don't be silly. Just ask the Swedes.

-30-

This man should be taken out and stoned to death. How dare he speak the truth, we need to be told what we want to hear.

I would say:
the Stone Age
the Bronze Age
the Iron Age
the Petroleum Age
the Electronic Age
the neo-Disco Age (forthcoming)