"Peter Gottlieb" wrote in message
. net...
What I do know is that the heavy use of oil has had adverse environmental
effects and has created dangerous instability in the Middle East. I
believe
that it would be in this country's best interests to somehow decrease
reliance on foreign oil, and preferrably, reduce oil usage overall. I do
not know the best way to accomplish those goals.

"Over time, thanks to technology, we've gotten much more efficient in the
way we use gasoline, oil, and energy of all kinds. In 1974 when the first
"oil crisis" hit, it took over 17 quadrillion BTUs of energy to produce $1
million of gross domestic product (measured in constant year-2000 dollars).
Today it takes less then 10 quadrillion BTUs.

One more statistic: in 1978 the US consumed over 18 million barrels of oil
every day, when annual GDP was $5 trillion. Today we use only 10% more oil
every day than we did then, but GDP has more than doubled to almost $11
trillion."