Ummm...the 70s, early 80s, 90s, Naughties. All would have been nice because the pressure keeps building.
So you think that green technology will be viable in 2070, 2080, 2090, or maybe by 2100?

Maybe, depends on how soon the greenies manage to collapse the oil industry in this country (it will be fine in the rest of the world)...
I would love to answer that question but anytime we start making some progress on a more viable solution the single issue, short-sighted folk make a massive push to keep oil cheap and knock the legs out from any effort to quit/reduce reliance.
If it was viable and profitable, then this wouldn't happen. Unfortunately, these green technologies tend to be neither...
BTW that "old swamp" is a National Park. A move to allow drilling in one "old swamp" is really an attempt to set a precedent to be used elsewhere. You've gotta ask yourself what your priorities are. I like clean America. If I want out of control extraction w/out regard to open spaces, wildlife, ecology and a relatively clean environment...there are plenty of countries I can find it.
So despite the fact that I don't like waste I'm all for appropriate regulations and restraint and believe in National Parks, Endangered Species Act and Clean Air/Clean Water Act. The last 3, of course, being republican contributions to America that I am proud of.
I don't disagree with "appropriate" regulations, but I think we disagree on what is appropriate. I am not saying we should destroy our country until it is barren (think China 100 years from now), but I don't see the greenies giving any more ground than oilies
I don't disagree that consumption requires materials. And seeing that the economy, as it sits, generally relies on consumption...the deck is stacked against us. For this, and many other reasons, the tar sands development WILL ABSOLUTELY continue to be controversial, as will extraction in a NP. I don't think we are wise to invest our limited capital in guaranteed controversies.
Then maybe we should find energy production is ways we already have (nuclear) or in less-controversial areas (off coast, east-west-gulf-alaska). My main focus is eliminating our dependence on foreign oil. When we are energy independant, our country will be secure/independant and an economic boom will occur.
Side note:
When government is the only entity willing to put money into green technologies (and they usually fail or have huge cost over-runs) then how can that be viable? There are tons of examples of government funded green technologies that have completely failed or have not lived up to their expectations...
Businesses exist to make money, and so far, very few green technologies exist that meet this expection without money from the government.
And yes, oil subsidies make me sick too...
BTW the "spare me" was in reference largely to pots making comments about kettles
Gotcha... I really try not to be political, but rather a matter of economics and success in our energy policy... I fail a lot of the time.
PS: Sorry nnuut