A little more than two weeks ago, President Bush declared in his State of the Union address, “America is addicted to oil.”

Bush didn’t stop there either, probably because this is common knowledge, and he continued to say, “In order to remain competitive we’ve got to use technology to diversify away from dependence upon oil.”

As for this technology, the president pledged to boost spending on research to develop cellulose-to-ethanol technology, which uses corn stalks and even switch grass to make ethanol. He also called for an increase in research spending to accelerate the development of hydrogen-powered cars and better, hybrid-fuel vehicles. It is critical the president sticks to his word because hybrids are an important aspect to the future of a healthy environment.

Judging by recent car-sales statistics it would be utterly ignorant to believe everyone is going to drive a hybrid car in the future. Heavy SUVs over the past five years have been selling at rapid rates, and with their ever-increasing demand for more gas-guzzling horsepower, oil is going fast.

Former Chevron geophysicist Peter Tertzakien said, “We are moving in the wrong direction — 56 percent of the new cars last year were heavier than what they were replacing, so the fleet is getting heavier.”

Tertzakien continued, “Oil is a wonderful fuel that needs to be respected, not wasted by hauling around excess weight.”

I am not foolishly expecting everyone to sell their SUV and buy a hybrid motor vehicle. I am a Jeep owner and don’t plan to sell it anytime soon. However, numbers show that almost 200,000 hybrids were sold in the U.S. last year. That is quite an impressive figure, but there is still a ways to go.

Simply manufacturing and selling more hybrids isn’t the only viable response in the uphill battle against oil hogging. The utilization of alternative fuels and advanced research in conservation will also play a substantial role in creating a new America that is responsible with its precious oil. This is of utmost importance because the U.S.’s dependence on the Middle Eastern oil has become ridiculous. The U.S. makes up 5 percent of the world’s population but uses 25 percent of the world’s oil, which is disgusting. Statistics show that on average, one American consumes the same amount of energy as 13 Chinese, 31 Indians and 370 Ethiopians. It is inspiring to see recent polls show large majorities of Americans think the U.S. is too dependent on Middle Eastern oil. What is even better is the president seems to agree. What is uninspiring is not only does the president think alternative fuels are the answer but domestic oil drilling is, too.

In a recent interview Rush Limbaugh asked Dick Cheney if drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge was off the table since the president didn’t mention anything about it. Cheney responded, “No, it’s not off the table by any means. We’ll keep pushing it because we think it makes eminent good sense. And we came very close in the last session to getting it, and we’ll keep working on it.”

While I agree alternative fuels and advanced research are critical to asserting our independence from dominating oil in the Middle East, I disagree with the idea domestic drilling will do us any good in the long run. We are the ones who buy and demand such gas-guzzling cars, we are the ones who consume 25 percent of the world’s oil, and now, consequentially, we have dug ourselves into a hole filled with skyrocketing oil prices.

The idea of drilling on a crucial biological reserve in Alaska, which according to various energy experts would only yield less than a year’s supply of oil, is simply inconceivable. In his recent book, former President Jimmy Carter notes, “Enlightened American political leaders have known that our nation’s energy future rests not on wrecking pristine natural environments but on far more cost-effective efficiency alternatives that will give us more certain and permanent independence from foreign oil.”

It is imperative Americans realize how uneconomical we are when it comes to using our oil. We cannot continue to dominate the Middle East with our oil demands — it is simply unfair. New technology will help respect them and our environment, both of which are equally important.

E-mail Warren at [email protected]