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Politics as Usual: Oil Companies Pretend Interest in Global Warming
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by Vanessa Ryan
Vanessa Ryan is a real estate broker, stock trader, and corporate recruiter.
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Most oil and gas companies are embracing the idea that they need to be on the cutting edge of greenhouse technology, despite earlier attempts to distance themselves from the concept of global warming. In fact, some are funding university research projects to develop these technologies, and are exploring ways to address the problems of global warming.
Since 1991, oil and gas companies have invested almost $800 million in university research programs, spread over nine major universities. Institutions such as M.I.T., Stanford, and the University of California at Berkeley have extensive research agreements with the oil and gas industry.
Some have questioned the extent of industry involvement in these programs, citing their ties threaten the academic freedom of the researchers and the integrity of the research itself. Others believe these programs are little more than Big Oil's attempt to manage its public relations image, because there is still much more to be done. Oil companies generally spend 20 times more for searching and exploiting new oil reserves than they do for researching ways to create alternative fuels, lowering greenhouse gases, or increasing the efficiency standards of their products. But this trend is likely to be reversed in the future because of the inevitability of a political climate that will demand change.
Published: Jul 14,2008 17:33
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Andy Cowan
Andy Cowan, an award-winning writer, whose credits include Cheers and Seinfeld, regularly contributes humor pieces to the Los Angeles Times and the CBS Jack FM Radio Network.
Paul M. J. Suchecki
Paul M. J. Suchecki has more than 30 years of experience as an award winning writer, producer, and cameraman. He's written numerous newspaper and magazine articles. Currently he writes, produces and shoots for LA CityView Channel 35 and his more than 250 articles for Ehow.com are approaching half a million readers.
Coby Kindles
Coby Kindles is a freelance journalist, screenplay writer and essayist. She has been a staff writer at Knight Ridder and a regular contributor to The Associated Press.
Debbie Milam
Debbie Milam is a syndicated columnist for United Press International, an occupational therapist, family success consultant, and motivational speaker with more than 20 years experience. Her work on stress management, spirituality, parenting, and special-needs children has been featured in over 300 media outlets including First for Women, The Miami Herald, Elle, Ladies Home Journal, The Hallmark Channel, PBS and WebMD.
Dan Rafter
Dan Rafter has covered the residential real estate industry for more than 15 years. He has contributed real estate stories to the Washington Post, Chicago Tribune, Business 2.0 Magazine, Home Magazine, Smart HomeOwner Magazine and many others.
Jack Nargundkar
Jack Nargundkar has been repeatedly published in Business Week, The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, and The New York Times. He is also an author of "The Bush Diaries" published in July 2005.
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