Quote Originally Posted by Ozme52 View Post
I would hate to see us follow that policy. Once we have eliminated the need for using fossil hydrocarbons as fuel, it can all go to other uses. Plastics and dyes and petrochemicals, medicines, shelters, and clothing.

The oil companies won't suffer. They'll become more efficient. Did you know for all the money they make, it's all in volume. Their profit margins are a low single digit percentage. Any other major corporate would be crucified in the market for single digit profit margins. Get them out of the fuel business and get them focused on the other uses for hydrocarbons and the profit margins and overall profits will likely go up...
I would hate to follow that policy myself. My tongue was firmly planted in my cheek for that one. (I can think of better places to plant it, for sure.)

True, the oil company profits are a low percentage of their costs. But they have consistently fought against conversion to other methods of producing energy. It's only relatively recently that they, like the tobacco companies, are starting to expand their interests, mostly to offset the loss of profits from their mainstay products.