Why I Still Buy BP Gasoline
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BP just happened to blow something up. I really don't think that the other companies would be doing any better of a job cleaning up their mess, and/or were taking additional safety precautions to avoid such an explosion. So what the hell am I going to do? Buy an electric car? I don't have the money for that right now. I already drive a pretty gas-efficient car, but it's a Toyota, and it's trying to kill me.
To put it differently, let's let Steve Bartman demonstrate:
So we're completely clear now, right? Look at good ole wind power getting the hell out of dodge.
18 Comments
Jackie Tithof Steere said:
Good points, but I still can't bring myself to do it.
Eric From The Dugs said:
Thanks for the support!
Definitely realized that this was going to be a polarizing comic, and I understand that side of things. However, when I started hearing about the other gas companies in too rosy of a light for my liking, I decided to put this out there.
Thanks for reading!
Wisconsin Man said:
This is a cute little cartoon, but in no way relates to the reality of the situation. ANYONE who still buys gas from BP (and you can make whatever crappy arguments against it) is truly pathetic. Get off your lazy ass and drive across the street to some other crappy oil company. I bet you buy your groceries from WalMart too - don't you??
Eric From The Dugs said:
Ha!
Believe me, I get it.
But, your comment makes me think that you get my point a little bit too. Go to "some other crappy oil company." I have yet to hear a convincing argument that Shell and/or Mobil are that much more trustworthy. They are just fortunate to not be the ones with the leaky pipe at the moment.
If they all start price gouging again and making record profits despite putting a strain on peoples' lives that can't afford gas, who are you going to chastise then, the one that is 2 cents cheaper than the others?
hagg said:
boycotting BP feels right, but the reality is that you are may only be hurting the station owner and not BP. Meanwhile, when you drive across the street to the grocery store gas station (or whatever) they may purchase their gas from BP and you just don't know it. Just because a station is branded BP does not mean they sell gas that came from BP.
http://consumerist.com/2010/06/when-you-boycott-bp-gas-stations-bp-profits.html
Eric From The Dugs said:
Yeah, I guess you can take the non-cynical route too :).
Clint said:
Well said. Reminds me of that saying about being skinniest kid at fat camp; even though you're skinny, you're still fat.
Eric From The Dugs said:
I may have been able to sum up the blog with your comment- good point.
Message from Montie said:
I've bought gas from BP three times in a row, and every single time I leave the gas station I think "Dammit, I'm supposed to be boycotting them." But BP bought a Citgo station I used to love going to because the prices are the cheapest. And it's right next to Lincolnwood Town Center so it's convenient. The time it would take me to drive to another reasonably priced gas station just seems to be counterproductive for getting gas. But yeah, I agree with you that any other gas station would have just as sloppy a job.
Galen at The Dugs said:
Citgo is Venezuela-owned - it's the state-run oil company of Hugo Chavez's administration there. The US subsidiary is incorporated here, but the profits still go there.
I'm not trying to be a downer for downer's sake, just reinforcing the fact that all of Big Oil is really just one big happy family and that no matter what you do, you're supporting awful business practices. As others pointed out too, the oil you buy at your local Shell may have been pumped from BP, bought from Mobil, refined from Exxon...you never know. It's a commodity - the brand isn't really that important to the product, and it's not like the companies that built or operated the BP rigs aren't also building and operating the rigs of everyone else. It's all dirty.
It's one of those situations that the more you think about it, the worse you feel. If only bike-riding in Illinois wasn't so miserable in inclement weather... :)
Boycotting BP and driving across town to fill up because you don't want your money going to bad oil companies would be like boycotting the Orioles because you don't want to support a bad baseball team and then driving across town to watch the Nationals instead.
Personally, I'm just happy I brought it back to baseball so I don't have to think about it any more!
Eric From The Dugs said:
Exactly.
One of two things are happening. Either a) other gas companies would be equally unable to clean up the mess, as you suggested above or b) they can do better and are not helping out because it's not their problem
Either makes for an angry Eric, but until they make cars that run on happiness and rainbows...
Schmitty said:
sorry to see my boy bartman stills get pounded. a new low- getting compared to bp, the lex luthor of america.
Eric From The Dugs said:
Hey, it's not Bartman's fault, any of those guys reaching for the ball could have blown up the Gulf Of Mexico. Um, Shell or Mobil could have messed up Alou?
Being a Cubs fan hurts.
*dan bradley said:
Good points. But i guess one would hope that boycotting might INSTILL in them some sense of urgency, rather than making a statement that they're worse than any of the rest (for me, at least). And, uh, i see just about everybody around good ol' Steve having second thoughts.. Bartman, however, is lunging like my cat after a bird.
Eric From The Dugs said:
Yes, I'll buy this argument. One would hope that there's a natural sense of urgency, and that the delay in response was 100% due to the difficulty by the depth of water issue. But, as a Cubs fan, I'm aware of exactly how far hoping will get you.
Yellow Dog Democrat said:
@Eric -
Normally it would be really tempting to agree with you.
However, as I understand it, BP's safety record is the worst of any major oil company.
In addition, as I was researching the issue last week, I learned the Shell Oil is the only major oil company that supports cap-and-trade legislation backed by environmental groups to reduce oil consumption and greenhouse gases.
The first point is a good reason to single BP out for a boycott, not because other companies are totally undeserving of a boycott, but because BP is the most deserving.
The second point is a good reason to reward Shell Oil with your business, if you MUST by gasoline, but just make sure you let them and the rest of the industry know that's what you're basing your decision on.
Eric From The Dugs said:
OK, now we're talking. I've wanted to hear arguments like this one, and not knee jerk reactions.
That said, I think it's time to go back to drawing comics about monkeys and explosions. My strip on Monday features Danica Patrick! You all will have to check back in to see whether I explode her or not.
(New Wheatshippers comic tomorrow too).
Seriously, thanks all for the enlightening discussion, and I hope we see more of it on here.
Yellow Dog Democrat said:
Hey, I do what I can!
Ironically, I remember WAAAY back in my college days when the international boycott against Shell Oil was launched because of the company's ties to apartheid South Africa.
Clearly, Shell wasn't the only company doing business in South Africa, but they were the largest, and for tactical purposes that made them a suitable target.
Looking forward to more monkeys. Just please, stop letting them operate the offshore drilling rigs! :)
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