Former Shell Oil president on why we hate oil companies

There are many reasons people can find to dislike big oil companies. They reap huge corporate profits, while gas prices at the pump climb and strain our wallets; oil pollution destroys our natural world; and now the catastrophic spill in the Gulf of Mexico threatens everything from wildlife to fisherman. We talk with John Heifmeister, the former president of Shell Oil, who says the government is at fault for the companies’ bad reputations.

John Heifmeister wrote “Why We Hate the Oil Companies: Straight Talk from an Energy Insider.” He blames the government for the public’s anger towards big oil, and has his own suggestions on how to clean up the BP oil spill in the Gulf.