“Conservation” is not a stock listed on the NYSE

In light of Peak Oil and related energy issues, I’ve decided this is the bottom-line mindset of too many conservatives, and the biggest single (and perhaps intractable) roadblock to many people actually willing to talk about conservation, even those several shades more rational than Dick Cheney.

And, I mean this literally.

“Conservation” cannot be bought, sold or trade. It cannot be speculated on; it has no commodities futures market; it cannot be rolled into a mutual fund; it cannot be made part of a real estate investment trust.

So, to the more rabid capitalists who cannot understand life if its various elements don’t have dollar signs in front of them, “conservation” is literally invisible.

Ergo, those of us really worried about our country’s, and our globe’s, energy future, need to do the logical thing and stop trying to discuss conservation with people like this.