Soon the U.S. will object to genetic engineering
Published Tue, Jun 17 2008 8:08 AM
Do you honestly believe that only nations across the Atlantic object to genetically modified plants and animals? If so, wait until you read this. I bet that soon the “environmentalists” will start getting into the act in a really big way…
“Ten years ago I could never have imagined I’d be doing this,” says Greg Pal, 33, a former software executive, as he squints into the late afternoon Californian sun. “I mean, this is essentially agriculture, right? But the people I talk to – especially the ones coming out of business school – this is the one hot area everyone wants to get into.”
He means bugs. To be more precise: the genetic alteration of bugs – very, very small ones – so that when they feed on agricultural waste such as woodchips or wheat straw, they do something extraordinary. They excrete crude oil.
Unbelievably, this is not science fiction. Mr Pal holds up a small beaker of bug excretion that could, theoretically, be poured into the tank of the giant Lexus SUV next to us. Not that Mr Pal is willing to risk it just yet. He gives it a month before the first vehicle is filled up on what he calls “renewable petroleum”. After that, he grins, “it’s a brave new world”.
Our Congress has already enacted several pieces of legislation that prevent us from developing new sources of oil, such as in ANWR and offshore. How long before they declare these little microbes to be a dangerous disease and make domestic research into them illegal?
After all, we can't be turning “fossil fuel” into a renewable resource can we?
Sometime back, roughly five years ago or so I think it was, I recall having read that many “played out” oil fields were showing signs of new crude welling up from below. There was speculation in the article I read that perhaps our so-called “fossil fuels” might not really be fossil fuels after all, but a “self renewing” resource. I never was able to find that article again, and thought perhaps it was only a fantasy/dream.
Maybe it was. These little microbes aren't though.
A tip of the hat to Nancy Morgan.
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ablur responded with:
 | I blogged on this a couple of days ago. It just amazes me how many ways we are coming up with to get oil. a couple of weeks ago I blogged on a whole series of energy alternatives and found a manufacturing plant that makes oil from anything. Seems we have two of them and the NIMBYs are trying to close them down.
We will be lucky to survive with these kind of stupid people. |
Layla responded with: "Fossil Fuel"
 | What an extremely interesting and informative post. I really never heard about this until I read about here Perry. "Fossil Fuel" seems like an interesting alternative that is if it does not turn out to be the decrying from the "green folks".
I believe we should use all our resources, ANWR, off shore drilling, and any other viable natural resource available to us.
Our government is sinking its own ship and I cannot speak for anyone else, but I would hate to have to drown because of others ignorance.
D.C., actually the Hill, does not give a darn about us. They believe they can feed us anything they say and we are so stupid that we will believe anything.
How wrong they are and it is time we all shout out and let them know that! |
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