A Lesson from Terraset

My submission to American Solutions Drill Here, Drill Now, Pay Nothing video contest.

Filming was done at the panel-less Terraset Elementary School in Reston, VA, which was originally built with solar panels for heating the underground building.

Opening historical picture of Terraset with solar panels from the Planned Community Archives: Catherine A. Baum Digital Collection at George Mason University. Used for educational and commentary purposes according to the Fair Use Doctrine. For more information about the photo series and the collection: http://hdl.handle.net/1920/2760

Special thanks to the infamous Miss Daisy for prod support.

Text of the vid:

Welcome to that solar school.

During the energy crises of the 70s, which were created by misguided federal policies, alternative energy was as much a political fad as it is today. My community went beyond brainwashing lesson plans, we actually built a solar heated school, Terraset.

But the real lesson came when the school district, converted the school to conventional heating and tore down the solar panels, which were TOO expensive to maintain.

Alternative energy sources are more expensive, less effective, and inefficient when applied to conventional problems; otherwise, we would call them the best solutions instead of alternative.

Today, oil is the best energy solution available for many every day uses. Current oil prices reflect scarcity. However, it is not a problem of natural resources, technology, or capital, but a politically created shortage. Congress forbids American production from specific valuable oil reserves.

Dont blame Congress; we told them to do it. Having learned from our mistakes the hard way with contagious sky high prices at the pump, we need to correct our error by telling Congress to get out of the way so that we can Drill Here, Drill Now, and Pay Less.

However, this concrete issue is symptomatic of a broader problem: Congress reflexively blocks America productivity, which costs us money, jobs, and in some cases our lives.

Americans must be free to trade value for value without congressional restraint. Regulatory reforms will be the next revolution in American productivity, leading to more jobs and higher wages.

We can start today by adopting real energy solutions from proven sources like oil, and reject the false promises of compelled innovation.

So contact your members of Congress to let them know that you choose that Americans should be free to Drill Here, Drill Now, and Pay Less.

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• american
• solutions
• drill
• here
• now
• pay
• less
• nothing
• video
• contest
• newt
• gingrich
• free
• gas
• terraset
• solar

[pbmdh]

"Drill here, drill now, pay less............until one of these idiots creates another BP disaster, hooray for ecological destruction!"

[jwoodswce]

@pbmdh

I mindless hypocrite. Without oil, you would not have a computer with which to make that comment.

Instead of advocating the use of government force to prevent my access to oil, why don't you set an example by eschewing all the benefits you receive from oil? You can start by stopping your use of plastics; next, don't buy any products that were trucked to your store. After you have achieved the existence of a subsistence farmer, then send me a comment via carrier pigeon.

[pbmdh]

@jwoodswce

You sure assume a lot just from my small, small comment. Did I say "Nobody should ever use oil, ever!"? No, I said no such thing. The problem with you (and the big oil community) is that you want unregulated chaos. Fuck the environment, right? If we got what you want, we would just end up with a hundred more BP's.

[jwoodswce]

@pbmdh

No assumptions on my part. I just understand the full context of your statement; in fact, I probably understand it better than you do as demonstrated in your reply.

You want product without production, which you and your fellow travelers inhibit through non-objective laws. With rising prices, the constraints on oil production are political, neither geological nor technical.

Historically, we have witnessed politically caused food famines; yet, you advocate a political energy famine?

[horvay]

Every year, we find more oil. Congress should just let up on the issue, and let entrepreneurs deal with it. If the field is free, it will find ways to provide more and more energy, even when oil runs out.

Did you know oil used to be a nuisance? It was entrepreneurs who made it what it is today. A free market is a creative market. If it decides to use nuclear energy instead because its the most cost effective, then I agree with that.

Congress shouldn't control our lives like Jim says here.

[julietanimeluvr13]

get away from my school -.-

[tothatextent]

Many people think 'Green Technology' is 100% positive on all levels. Just as this guy is stating, it is very expensive. Many want a battery car made. After several attempts to make a battery car, many car companies deemed it too expensive and harmful to the environment.

[gregtube88]

I'm writing this off the top of my head, so feel free to prove me wrong (or augment my point), but my understanding is that experts engaged by both parties have said that drilling off the US coast will have virtually a zero effect on oil prices for at least 10 years.

[PaulMcKeever]

Wonderful. I'm facebooking it (and adding it to the YouTube Objectivists Group vids, of course). Sorry I didn't see it sooner: I have almost no subscriptions (for reasons not relevant here), so I depend upon keywords (or submissions) when looking for new vids to add to the YTOG.