To the editor:

First of all, I am a conservationist and as such deeply concerned about the mess on the Gulf Coast. The prospect of people being denied the opportunity to work productively to support themselves and serve the rest of us with their products and services is disturbing. The loss of wildlife and habitat is grim, ugly and unnecessary.

However, those who would shut down or seriously curtail our nation’s energy sources until alternates are produced, in my opinion, are seriously misguided. On the internet

I looked up “Products Made from Oil.” Ten of the 128 products listed are: heart valves, telephones, antiseptics, safety glass, antihistamines, tires, water pipes, food preservatives, anesthetics and cameras. I fail to see how wind power, solar power or even nuclear power can replace oil. It isn’t just used for running our motorized vehicles. It is a basic element for most of our economy.

We could go back to having hemp for rope and boar bristles for our wooden toothbrushes. We could use catgut for guitar strings. We could go back to cash only instead of credit cards, but I don’t think we would want to.

We also don’t need to drill offshore in mile-deep water. We have oil fields right here on land in the Dakotas, Alaska, etc. where if there is an accident such as in the Gulf, the well can be capped with minimal damage to the surrounding area.

Yes, the mess in the Gulf is horrific, but we can’t throw out the baby with the bath water. We have built our economy on oil, and until we can come up with something better to replace it, we’re stuck with it.

Jean Goodfellow

Clinton