OK. Let's Look at it This Way

You know, I'd rather be writing humor pieces than more on the subject of global warming. It's ridiculous, but necessary because do you know how hard it is to sway people to a different set of thinking once they start to believe in something? Just look at any social - economic - political - religious (philosophical) period of history. Plus, nobody likes to stand alone...out there for all to see, in their birthday suit...baring it all. We'd much rather gather together like birds, in the company of others, knowing that we know (or have been told that we do) all there is to know about something (or maybe it's the fear of not knowing that drives us together).

OK, so the big news from many of the car manufacturers (at least those that are environmentally and socially conscience) is that we are headed for a new kind of auto...one that is powered by hydrogen! It (the car) will be the answer to all our prayers...no CO2 (or any other pollutant), just burns and burps out water as a byproduct of combustion. All you add is water! What could be better.

It's interesting that this "magical" answer to a technological question is coming now...with the worlds supply of oil apparently coming to a an end and all. Where was this "answer" 30 years ago during the first oil crisis? Hell, I was asking the question way back when (then) after having sat through a chemistry lab class in middle school and generating hydrogen gas by putting zinc meta in hydrochloric acid! I saw that it "burned" in the presence of air (oxygen) and even offered a small explosion (pop!) when lit. I then quickly made the logical jump to two things right way: One, water, because it was made of "two parts hydrogen" and you supposedly could "make it" through a process called electrolysis...and two, the sun, because it was the largest and most powerful thing in my (then) known universe that was made of hydrogen (and wasn't there a "hydrogen bomb" out there somewhere that was a continual menace to our way of life back then...still?).

So, I remember hitting the books (encyclopedias, history books, text books, etc...as we didn't have the Internet back in those dark ages know as the 70's) and finding out all sorts of neat ideas...some of which had been developed, tested and implemented to some extent. For example: synthetic fuels (converting coal into gas - in the late 19th century); first fuel cells - again in the late 19th century; adding water to the combustion process of gasoline engines to gain more horsepower; and, internal combustion engines that could burn hydrogen - the 1920s (plus lots more)! Why the H E double hockey sticks didn't we already have engines and/or fuel that we could use that would take us away from foreign oil dependence. I mean, the price of gas had gone from 40 cents per gallon to 80 cents per gallon in the blink of an eye! What was I going to do when (if) I started driving?

Well, the short answer is politics and economics (which in this country go hand in hand). Certainly at least a modicum of conspiracy...with certain patents bought out and people threatened appropriately to keep their ideas to themselves for a while longer. By who? Oil producing ($$$$) countries and corporations (many of whom ran..or run...some of those countries) of course. It wasn't (isn't) personal...just business, as many a good (mafia) business man would put it!

Now, I'm not going to fill in all the blanks between now and then...but suffice it to say that A LOT of money has been made since then...but politically, with the latest middle eastern problems, it's not enough to sustain "happiness" among all those interested. Social, economic, environmental and even religious feelings have crept into the mix and we are now standing in the midst of yet another "oil crisis."

This time, however, things are a bit different. For one thing, we are certainly 30 years closer to "really" running out of oil...and we are tired of being held hostage by the eleven OPEC countries...most of whom are quite unstable on many levels. What to do, what to do. Well, we've (the big oil companies) been seen as a conglomerate of evil for years...and, as of late, trying to fight those global warming activists to keep the oil flowing, gas burning and engines pumping...and we're compliant with EPA regs...just look at those catalytic converters and the CO2 they make! But, people hate us still. And, the global warmers of the world are making it look like we are the figurehead for the new "blackened" Earth, because we are going to burn ourselves up...don't you know.

Let's start the change now. Go dig up all those buried patents and ideas of years gone past. We've ridden this pony about as far as we can...it's time for a change, and if we do it right...we won't lose a dime. Tell the people (a la the tobacco companies) that we are on their side...we want to change our ways and help save the earth at the same time. Tell them, "We're sorry." We'll make (or fund) ...ta da...hydrogen burning cars. But how are we going to get people to change...to buy this new technology...if there is still gasoline around to burn? Quit fighting the global warmers...let them have their doomsday scenario. In the meantime, we capitalize on the hydrogen idea and eventually will capitalize on a complete changeover to this new technology...Kah Ching!

Now there is a whole lotta things going on here...far too much to write about in this short piece. But, now they (gasoline and auto makers) can reap the rewards of higher prices at the pump in the meantime, and then cash in big time on the guilt laden masses as the changeover (to hydrogen) occurs. Hopefully, somewhere in between, one of these "boys" will explore the "synthetic fuel" subject again (more than ethanol...or just adding ethanol) and come up with an answer for fuel possibilities while the "rest of us" save up for the hydrogen future (past).

Bottom line...let all those eco warming zealots do what they want to...given 'em all the rein they want...truth or not! After all, the only casualties in all of this are fact and science...who needs them anyway. The ironic question of all this is...eventually, when all cars are huffing hydrogen and puffing water...what will adding water vapor directly to the atmosphere do? After all, what is the NUMBER ONE greenhouse gas on planet Earth? That's right, it's H2O!...not CO2! I wonder if that has been modeled yet?