First, I have to say that I’m against drilling for oil deep in the ocean for obvious reasons (just ask the brown pelicans), but James J. Corbett, a professor of marine policy at the University of Delaware, has been doing some serious research into what could have been.

According to Corbett, on May 31 (day 41 day of the oil spill), the lost fuel could have powered a freight truck during 17 trips across all 4 million miles of U.S. highway.

But we don’t need to rely on offshore drilling.

Corbett says that if automobile fuel economy is improved to 35.5 miles per gallon, which is proposed by the Obama administration, then we’d offset demand equal to the energy lost by 199 years of Deepwater Horizon daily releases.

Interested in more facts?

Corbett launched a website reporting lost uses of the fuel on a daily basis.

(image from wikimedia commons)

It just so happens that the first beach I ever visited is taking its first steps toward offshore wind-driven turbines. That beach is Rehoboth Beach in Delaware.

The project is scheduled to be completed by 2012, but some opponents think it might make the shoreline ugly. I disagree. Isn’t it a much prettier site than what you’d see with offshore oil drilling? Maybe I’m a little too hippie, but I like the look of wind turbines doing their thing.

Get details at Offshore wind farms may line U.S. coast by CNN.

What do you think? Are you opposed to seeing wind turbines off the shores of beaches in the US?

Image by phault via flickr.