Lives Per Gallon: The True Cost of Our Oil Addiction

I came across this book while researching an Economics Masters thesis. As someone that has been focusing more and more on energy related issues, I picked this book up.

To say the least, it is very intellectually dishonest. While many of the things he says have some grain of truth, he routinely cherry picks to support his view that the world will collapse if we don't do something drastic immediately. I particuarly liked how he tried to imply that his cigarette smoking father wouldn't have died of emphysema if we didn't have any smog.

He starts out by overblowing the environmental damage that oil production and consumption costs - but then has the hubris to claim we will be out in a few years anyway. If we are going to be out, it would seem that the environmental problem it causes will cease in a few years.

This leads me to his horrible prediction of skyrocketing oil prices and grim picture of the future (which in his mind is in 2025). His estimation of oil reserves is cherry picked to support his panic inducing tone.

The truth is that there is so much petroleum on this planet that the only limitation of use may in fact be the enironmental cost. In my mind, he lost significant credibility by claiming we would have oil shortages by 2025.

He also goes into a tirade about foreign oil, implying that all of our oil comes from sheiks that are trying to bomb us. The truth is our single largest supplier of oil is Canada. Mexico is #2 and Venezuela #3. In fact, if he had counting Canada's tar sands, Canada has more oil than any other country on earth. If we were to count oil shale (which is only economical to produce at 70-90 a barrel) the US has the ability to be energy independent with this source alone.

Overall, this book spouts out a lot of numbers without really analyzing the context of the values. He cherry picks to get cost estimates that bolster his view point (and probably further his career and admiration amongst the faithful) and conveniently ignores everything else.

Not only are oil and its products becoming more expensive, it also creates hidden, more insidious costs such as the billions spent annually to secure our global supply, crops ruined by pollution, and cancer and other serious health effects. Living in a smog-filled city can be as dangerous as smoking half-a-pack of cigarettes/day, says Tamminen.

Then are the inevitable leaks and spills at oil wells, refineries, and involving tankers, and the risks associated with global warming.

Probably the most valuable contribution of "Lives Per Gallon" is its detailing how the auto and oil industries have lobbied (misrepresented) to impede progress.

"Lives Per Gallon" ends with suggestions on saving fuel (slower speeds, higher tire inflation, less weight/vehicle, improved engine design, less idling, lower octanes where applicable, eliminate jackrabbit starts), and possible legal strategies to force progress.

Good material, though Tamminen sometimes goes over-the-top - eg, his documentation does not support concluding energy/auto subsidies of $1 trillion/year; his enthusiasm for ethanol is way overstated given its impact on food prices and our limited farmland.

I`m reading this book, and contains a lot of details about the impact of oil and its subproducts on environment, health and so.
If you like this subject it`s an interesting choice, otherwise you`ll get bored by facts.

Terry Tamminen has seen the ravages of big oil first hand in many places around the world. A skilled and engaging writer, he weaves his experiences into a compelling narrative that includes a lot of well documented research to make the case that the world must end its dependence on fossil energy in general and oil in particular. In his former role as California's Secretary of the Environment, Tamminen helped design and implement a series of initiatives that have made California a world leader in the emerging era of clean, renewably generated energy. Lives Per Gallon reports on the technology now available that will fight global warming and end our dependence on dirty energy. Tamminen shows that hydrogen, serving as a pollution free energy carrier, is a big part of the answer. I think he is right. This is a great read for anyone who wants to get involved and back a winner in the energy endgame.

Tamminen does a superb job of detailing how the oil industry has put the world in such a precarious position, both environmentally and human health wise, all just for corporate greed. He makes a startling comparison of the same actions taken by the tobacco industry that should make all users of petrolium think twice before continuing to support this destructive industry's path.