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Comment by enoint | Hacker News Reader

The important categories are oil and potash. Consumer actions might not influence those much.

How much oil is Europe still importing from Russia? I'd rather have Canadian.

I’m sure China would, too. I wonder what’s harder: diverting that oil to the northwest passage, or diverting Persian Gulf oil around the strait of Hormuz?

You know how despite climate change being very real, in day to day discussions with other level headed people, they still very regularly say stuff like

"We ran the numbers for an EV, and right now gas is still cheaper, so we are holding off on the switch until it makes financial sense"

Canadian oil would need to be shipped halfway around the world. It would be more expensive. Price is always the top factor for everyone.

Fair point. What we really need of course is more renewables, and that is happening, but not fast enough, so we still need oil. And I'd rather get our oil in a way that doesn't fuel the Russian war machine, even if it does cost a bit more.

The politically-important Alberta oil mostly goes to the mountain states down here. Coincidentally, those same states rely heaviest on coal for electricity. So, the choice is recharge an EV on coal (think arsenic and mercury accumulating somewhere nearby) or good ol gasoline (which is piped from Canada).

The heavy oil refineries are generally near the Gulf and in the Midwest, so that's where the Canadian oil goes.

That’s proportionally true. Utah and Wyoming depend on Alberta because of elevation. I’m confused by the change at Seaway.

Mountain states? Can't they use hydro power?

I think what you’re wondering is: can residential electricity schedules promote off-peak rates for EV charging. I’ve seen that and I think it takes the edge off.

But we’re in a drought right now. I think hydro is down at least 20%. Wyoming wind power alone totally makes up for that.

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