Energy and Environmental viewpoints

In my blogging, I will try to make it as personal and objective as I possibly see the issues.
When we discuss off-shore oil drilling, we must also discuss the environment situation. I was raised in Sweden and it has come naturally to me that we must take care of the environment. Whenever I came back to Sweden and visited my family, I was always struck by how clean everything was both in the cities and in the countryside. We all have our own experience regarding those who are active and pursue a better environment. So let me tell you about some experiences which I have had.
In the early seventies the airlines wanted to get landing permits for “the Concorde” at JFK in NYC. The media was pushing hard to stop the Concorde. When it was close to decision time, tens of thousands of people demonstrated against allowing the Concords to land. The day after the march the noise tests came out. Low and behold. When the Concorde took off from JFK and banking out over the water the noise was lower than the 707 airplane which had been landing and taken off from JFK for many years. The protest disappeared like someone had a magic wand.
In Sweden we have discussed to build a bridge between Malmö, Sweden and Copenhagen, Denmark for over 100 years. A political party was very much against building the bridge because it would destroy the environment. As I have lived in New Orleans for ten years I knew something about the major objection to building the bridge. It would destroy the life of the fish in the strait. My traffic manager in Nola, Johnny Cefalu was an ardent fisherman on his spare time. I came along a couple times to fish. North of Nola lies Lake Ponchatrain and the bridge supporting pillars were the best places you could fish. Today we have found out that so is the case with the bridge between Sweden and Denmark. The fish loves it. Why do then the so called environmentalists object so strenuously. Tennessee power is another example.
Of course you must set up certain rules and regulation to protect the environment when the oil companies start drilling for oil. The important thing is that the procedure to get permits does not take forever.
Governor Palin who is from Alaska wants to drill on the north slope of Alaska ( Anwar). The Governor knows more about the issue than most people in America as energy is a big part of Alaska and its people. Senator McCain has not spoken for drilling on the North Slope, but it is my feeling he is afraid of the environmental lobby in Washington. Governor Palin is an outdoor person and the environment means a lot to her. Why should she then speak of drilling on the North Slope? Most Americans have never been to the North Slope. They have only read what the lobbying groups of the environmentalists have said. Stop throwing emotions into the decision to drill at Anwar. Instead find out how it can be done and what protection is needed to keep the area as wonderful it is today. I have only seen pictures myself, so what do I know.
Do not think I am against environmental groups, because I am not. They are needed very much and I think former Vice-President Al Gore has done a fantastic job to elevate the global warming problem. We must however be able to discuss the situation with respect for opposing sides. At present oil prices Americans must understand that you can not send huge amount of dollars overseas and then think they will never come back. Taking control of your industries means more jobs as well.