Will the oil spill in the gulf help people and business realise that oil is ...

People also are quick to judge BP for the disaster, especially in the US where blame is always the first thing sought. I wonder how often the people directly affected in the US blame their own consumption of oil? their own disproportionate need and greed for energy? without their need these companies would not have been financially inspired to go and get the oil from such risky places.

I can only hope perhaps that With the ever increasing oil spill in the gulf, that it is the oil industry itself that will recognise the risks taken by the business to produce a product ultimately in decline. BP has over the years diversified into areas outside of oil production, but more recently has scaled back it's investments into renewable and alternative energy systems.

It surprises me that the opportunity for our UK oil barons to become 'clean energy' leaders has been lost. Simply investing their vast profits into the badly needed next generation of energy systems would ensure that their business is sustainable going forward. They risk their corporate future by doing so and squander their profits to meet the chairman's perceived 'immediate needs' of shareholders.

With ConDem Right/Centre Left coalition in the UK it is unlikely that significant investment in renewable energies will come from the centre, but it is likely that they will look to business to be the pioneers. This perhaps is where the likes of BP can regain it's reputation.

I do hope BP survives. There are a lot of good people at the company, these people have shown innovation and I'm sure if put to the right use BP and our other dirty oil giants could be world leaders but in my opinion they should be world leaders in renewable and sustainable energy systems and help us all wean ourselves off our oil addiction.