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I, like many across the nation and the world have looked on as oil continues to gush forth from the seabed over a mile below the surface of the Gulf of Mexico. My emotions went from horror, to anger, to resignation fairly quickly, as the realization set in that we should get used to occurrences like this on a regular basis.
I was going to explain how we came to be looking for oil a mile below the surface of the Gulf of Mexico, however Gail Tverberg recently posted an article at TheOilDrum.com that explains it much more succinctly than I can: With so many oil resources, Why can't we just drill somewhere else?
I will not recap her points, except to say that at its root, the reason the blowout occurred is our society's insatiable demand for oil. This demand is a result of oil's incredible usefulness for increasing productivity and mobility. Combine that demand with a corporate disregard for safety, and the result is the explosion and subsequent uncontrolled leak into the ocean that may not be stemmed until August.
Now, aside from the environmental horror and disgust at the actions of BP, you may wonder why an architect is concerned about oil and energy in general (scroll to bottom of the linked page to read the posts in order). I mean, after all, architects just design buildings, right? ( read on for the answer )
In short, I and other architects can use our knowledge to help you and your business save money by positioning you for the future, ensuring that your building needs are met in the most efficient means possible within your budget, reducing your energy needs, and thereby increasing profits.
Or, you can continue business as usual, and in a small way, be responsible for future disasters such as what is now occurring in the gulf, as we search in more difficult and dangerous places for our energy needs.
The choice is yours.
I was going to explain how we came to be looking for oil a mile below the surface of the Gulf of Mexico, however Gail Tverberg recently posted an article at TheOilDrum.com that explains it much more succinctly than I can: With so many oil resources, Why can't we just drill somewhere else?
I will not recap her points, except to say that at its root, the reason the blowout occurred is our society's insatiable demand for oil. This demand is a result of oil's incredible usefulness for increasing productivity and mobility. Combine that demand with a corporate disregard for safety, and the result is the explosion and subsequent uncontrolled leak into the ocean that may not be stemmed until August.
Now, aside from the environmental horror and disgust at the actions of BP, you may wonder why an architect is concerned about oil and energy in general (scroll to bottom of the linked page to read the posts in order). I mean, after all, architects just design buildings, right? ( read on for the answer )
In short, I and other architects can use our knowledge to help you and your business save money by positioning you for the future, ensuring that your building needs are met in the most efficient means possible within your budget, reducing your energy needs, and thereby increasing profits.
Or, you can continue business as usual, and in a small way, be responsible for future disasters such as what is now occurring in the gulf, as we search in more difficult and dangerous places for our energy needs.
The choice is yours.
