After 146 Years, Rockefeller is Exiting Oil Industry

[Dexter]

http://www.cbsnews.com/news/rockefeller-family-is-exiting-the-oil-business/

Heirs to the oil fortune created by John D. Rockefeller, who founded Standard Oil in 1870, are exiting the family business. The Rockefeller Family Fund, a charity that supports causes related to the environment, economic justice and other issues, is liquidating its investments in fossil fuel companies, including Exxon Mobil (XOM). "While the global community works to eliminate the use of fossil fuels, it makes little sense -- financially or ethically -- to continue holding investments in these companies," the fund said on Wednesday in a statement. "There is no sane rationale for companies to continue to explore for new sources of hydrocarbons."

In announcing its decision, the Rockefeller fund attacked Exxon for what it called the company's "morally reprehensible conduct," alluding to allegations that the company has hidden evidence that fossil fuels contribute to climate change. "Evidence appears to suggest that the company worked since the 1980s to confuse the public about climate change's march, while simultaneously spending millions to fortify its own infrastructure against climate change's destructive consequences and track new exploration opportunities as the Arctic's ice receded," the fund said.

[Frank Cannon]

If they were not hypocritical creeps, they would give away all the dirty oil money to the poor......but then they would be poor too.

[Weird Tolkienish Figure]

Their is a coordinated push to get fossil fuels on the same level as tobacco. Problem is that fossil fuels are literally everywhere, and in everything.

Nearly all plastics are made from fossils fuels, for example.

It will only work if we let them win.

[Dexter]

Their is a coordinated push to get fossil fuels on the same level as tobacco. Problem is that fossil fuels are literally everywhere, and in everything.

Nearly all plastics are made from fossils fuels, for example.

It will only work if we let them win.

For now fossil fuels are a necessity, but it's only a matter of time until other forms of energy take over. Solar is advancing at an exponential rate with no signs of slowing down, and Chinese scientists are making real progress with nuclear fusion.

[Weird Tolkienish Figure]

For now fossil fuels are a necessity, but it's only a matter of time until other forms of energy take over. Solar is advancing at an exponential rate with no signs of slowing down, and Chinese scientists are making real progress with nuclear fusion.

The market should and will sort it all out. We'll all be long dead and buried before we go off FF's in large numbers.

[mountaineer]

If they were not hypocritical creeps, they would give away all the dirty oil money to the poor......but then they would be poor too.

[HonestJohn]

For now fossil fuels are a necessity, but it's only a matter of time until other forms of energy take over. Solar is advancing at an exponential rate with no signs of slowing down, and Chinese scientists are making real progress with nuclear fusion.

Thorium (fission) reactor research is also progressing well in both India and China.

And I don't think alyone really protests the manufacture of durable plastic goods.

[Fishrrman]

"While the global community works to eliminate the use of fossil fuels, it makes little sense -- financially or ethically -- to continue holding investments in these companies," the fund said on Wednesday in a statement. "There is no sane rationale for companies to continue to explore for new sources of hydrocarbons."

And thus we are entreated to a didactic tale about the rise and [eventual] fall of capitalism and Western progress.

The house that John D. built -- from which flowed the lifeblood of industrial society -- torn down in the name of environmentalism.

Will the last one leaving turn out the lights and turn down the thermostat?

(the ol' man must be a-rollin' in the grave!)

[flowers]

And thus we are entreated to a didactic tale about the rise and [eventual] fall of capitalism and Western progress.

The house that John D. built -- from which flowed the lifeblood of industrial society -- torn down in the name of environmentalism.

Will the last one leaving turn out the lights and turn down the thermostat?


(the ol' man must be a-rollin' in the grave!)

  That is the sad truth Fish!

[Bill Cipher]

For now fossil fuels are a necessity, but it's only a matter of time until other forms of energy take over. Solar is advancing at an exponential rate with no signs of slowing down, and Chinese scientists are making real progress with nuclear fusion.

Solar has a long, long, long, long way to go.  In fact, as the Germans have found to their lasting dismay, is that they actually have to subsidize coal-fired plants in order to keep them as backups for unreliable solar.  Even worse, because they're run as backups and not as primary generators, the coal plants run much less efficiently than they would if they were primaries.

So, for the sake of solar, the Germans are now paying more money for more polluting coal than they would have been paying if they'd let the markets instead of government distortions sort it out.

[Dexter]

Solar has a long, long, long, long way to go.  In fact, as the Germans have found to their lasting dismay, is that they actually have to subsidize coal-fired plants in order to keep them as backups for unreliable solar.  Even worse, because they're run as backups and not as primary generators, the coal plants run much less efficiently than they would if they were primaries.

So, for the sake of solar, the Germans are now paying more money for more polluting coal than they would have been paying if they'd let the markets instead of government distortions sort it out.

Solar is improving very fast, so perhaps not as long as you think. Nations like Germany push for solar because they understand that it has the potential to one day be more efficient than fossil fuel. It's about the future and improving technology.

[truth_seeker]

For now fossil fuels are a necessity, but it's only a matter of time until other forms of energy take over. Solar is advancing at an exponential rate with no signs of slowing down, and Chinese scientists are making real progress with nuclear fusion.

Natural gas is a fossil substance and is used to make many plastic type products and materials.

[Dexter]

Natural gas is a fossil substance and is used to make many plastic type products and materials.

No doubt fossil energy will be used to some degree for a very long time, though I think a lot of people overestimate how long it will take us to start taking big steps towards breaking our dependence on it. We live in an incredible time. No other humans in history have experienced such rapid technological advancement. The truly amazing thing is not only is the advancement of science and technology not slowing down, it's actually speeding up. The more time goes by the quicker we learn more and more. I think humanity will make unbelievable progress over the next few centuries.

[Frank Cannon]

I think humanity will make unbelievable progress over the next few centuries.

Well that's great for them. In the meantime I am going to keep loading high test gas into my Olds wagon with a big block 455 and do donuts in the Walmart parking lot.

[truth_seeker]

Solar is the basic source for wind power and ocean thermal gradient power. Tidal and waves, too.

* By way of personal confession, last year we bought a VW TDI for high mileage and based on their claim, "clean diesel."

Eleven days after the purchase, we learned in the news we did not in fact have a "clean" vehicle.

[Weird Tolkienish Figure]

Solar is the basic source for wind power and ocean thermal gradient power. Tidal and waves, too.

And oil come to think of it. Dinosaur's tanned themselves, ate plants and pooped and died and it became oil.

And hydoelectric, water evaporates due to heat from the sun.

And earth was once a protoplanet created from the sun so I guess in essence nuclear comes from the sun, ditto for geothermal.

Etc. etc.

[Dexter]

And oil come to think of it. Dinosaur's tanned themselves, ate plants and pooped and died and it became oil.

And hydoelectric, water evaporates due to heat from the sun.

And earth was once a protoplanet created from the sun so I guess in essence nuclear comes from the sun, ditto for geothermal.

Etc. etc.

Yes, exactly! All forms of energy can be traced back to the sun. That's why I think solar will ultimately be more efficient than fossil fuels. You're getting your energy straight from the source.

[Weird Tolkienish Figure]

Yes, exactly! All forms of energy can be traced back to the sun. That's why I think solar will ultimately be more efficient than fossil fuels. You're getting your energy straight from the source.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dyson_sphere