"Power Trip" is quite a rarity among books about the environment. It is, perhaps alone in the genre, a sober, balanced weighing of the positives and negatives of mankind's dependence on fossil fuels. It is well-researched, factual, comprehensive, non-hysterical and apolitical. Author Amanda Little has no apparent hidden agendas, no obvious axes to grind, and no perceivable motivations beyond presenting the facts behind today's acrimonious debates about petroleum and its byproducts. She does this very well. "Power Trip" is a significant, detailed, entertaining and highly readable book that everyone with an opinion about America's energy past, present or future should read.
I especially like the organization and structure of "Power Trip." The first part, "Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Oil," contains seven chapters covering how the world got to where it is today in its dependence on oil and petroleum products. Each chapter is roughly 30 pages long. For example, Chapter 1, "Over a Barrel," describes the history of American and international oil industries from the first well in Pennsylvania to the latest deep-water drilling techniques. Chapter 3, "Road Hogs," takes a nonjudgmental (despite its title) look at the cars we drive, the roads we drive them on, and even at NASCAR racing. Chapter 4, "Plastic Explosive," is a fascinating survey of the literally tens of thousands of plastic products, all derived from petroleum, that fill every aspect of our lives today. This chapter is especially eye-opening for those who think we can quickly and easily wean ourselves from dependence on oil. It's not that easy...
The second part, "Greener Pastures," contains four chapters that present visions of some possible energy futures. Chapter 8, "Earth, Wind and Fire," covers how various renewable, less-polluting energy sources may supplant petroleum in the future. Chapter 9, "Autopia," covers the trials, tribulations and promise of electric cars. As is all of "Power Trip," these chapters are interesting, informative, detailed and factual--there's no shrillness, political ideology or arm-waving, just sober facts presented in a most readable and engaging manner.
In an ideal world, both tree-hugging libs and "drill, baby, drill" neocons would read "Power Trip." If they did, they would learn countless facts about petrochemicals and their environmental effects, and about the incredibly, staggeringly complicated issues, with no easy answers, that attend the world's addiction to oil. If they did, they would perhaps realize that the only rational, sane way forward is for both sides of the debate to accept that there are valid arguments on the other side, and that "all or nothing" solutions, on either side, are recipes for global disaster. If they did, they might even become more willing to listen to all viewpoints, and maybe even to consider compromises for their mutual benefit and for the future of the Earth. The answers are out there. "Power Trip" is required reading for anyone interested in finding out how we got to where we are and where we may go from here. I recommend it highly to every thoughtful, open-minded and concerned reader.
