Big Oil loved 2007

It must be nice to have a 57% increase in one year. But don't worry, because Big Oil says their profit margins declined. Sure, anything they say. They can rest comfortably knowing that movement towards efficiency will still take decades thanks to the special interest lobbies in Washington.

Besides auto emissions, we to start looking into the efficiency of appliances. US washing machines, dryers and dishwashers are energy (and water) hogs compared to what is on offer in Europe. American dryers consistently destroy my clothes on every visit and seem to need their own power station to generate furnace-like temperatures. With energy costs increasing for Americans (they're already high here) this area also needs some attention. 2008 probably won't offer much change though I think many are seeking these changes with the new president. In simple dollars and cents, it's just too costly to avoid change.