Not A Comforting Thought

[jordonj]

I was skimming an article about the declining supply of Oil...not just Gasoline, OIL.  Now before you stop reading and scream "POLITICS", just read on a bit further...I'm really not being political at all.

What will happen when oil becomes even more scarce than it is...beyond the reach of the average person?

Well, here in America, the Automobile will really decline.  Roads will also deteriorate (roads here in Michigan and the rest of the country degrade quickly and are either in great shape, or you can't travel on them).  And what effect will that have on commerce?  Places like Wal-Mart, and other such superstores will collapse (meaning food will be harder to come by...more on that in a bit).

Also, don't forget Aviation...that industry is already on it's knees, it will likely fade into dust.

And food production?  Well the problem is that with suburbs, farming land has been paved over!  There's less and less places to grow stuff!  Not to mention that you will need to plow by hand again (tractors, use oil).  Things will become more localized...not to mention there will be fewer choices on what you can buy (not necessarily a bad thing).

But wait!  What about other fuel sources.  Well, that's well and good, but not a s simple as it may seem.   Nuclear power is dependent on Uranium...another non-renewable energy source.  Also most of these things require oil in some shape or form.  Solar panels, the pesticides to produce bio-fuel (better to just burn those for the minute amout you can produce growing it!)  Wind Generators need a lot of oil in their manufacture.

In fact, most of the products we enjoy have oil as part of their manufacturing process, or even in their ingredients.  Hip replacements, medicines, clothes (get ready to learn to hunt and trap...except that guns and bows manufactured today use a lot of oil in their process...traps less so, but only marginally)...

And yes, computers will probably disappear (no oil to power them...never mind the oil used in their manufacture).  So flight simming and other forms of gaming will be a thing of the past.

Probably populations will begin migrating out of the South (East and West)...who wants to live in Phoenix without AC?!  

When you start adding it all up...will oil, and the lack of it, be the downfall of the Human Race?  Sure, we got by for over 1000 years without knowing how to use it

And do you think the rich whose lifestyle depends on all that oil are just going to simplify their lives?  Just change over from a life of leisure, to a life of labor (remember, food  production will have a lot more hand tilling involved)...I don't even want to think about that one (not without several strong drinks at hand)...

Scream chicken little if you want at me...hey!  I would Love to be proven wrong!  And yes, I know I'm part of the problem as much as everyone else...

[ATI_7500]

We're doomed sooner or later, so I don't care that much.

[Woodlouse2002]

When the oil runs out people will finally twig that nuclear is the only way we'll be able to produce the power the world demands.

[Craig.]

Well current estimates have it running out after i am dead so i really dont care. Theres more oil than people think, or more than gas companies want you to believe.

[Hagar]

There are alternatives, hydrogen for example, but unfortunately the oil companies have hindered their development. Short-sightedness on the part of governments of most countries in the world is also partly to blame. The attitude seems to be that there's plenty left so we'll wait until it runs out. By then it will be too late.

They're proposing to build wind farms all over the UK but it's too little, too late in my view. Some people naturally object to hundreds of these darned great wind generators spoiling the landscape. I'm not sure that those with no objections realise quite how big they are or what it involves. I have mixed views on this myself & don't fancy seeing the South Downs covered with them although this would be an ideal location. You need a lot of them as they're not particularly efficient. I think one generator is capable of supplying power for something like 4,000 homes but that is only when there's wind to power them.

We're doomed sooner or later, so I don't care that much.

Well current estimates have it running out after i am dead so i really dont care.

I think you're both being equally short-sighted & selfish. My first grandchild is due in June. I don't want that child to suffer for our greed & wastefulness.

PS. Vegetable oil can be used to power internal combustion engines & also for lubrication.

[TacitBlue]

PS. Vegetable oil can be used to power internal combustion engines & also for lubrication.

Thats what I was thinking. I believe vegitable oil and electric cars in some form or another, or many (hydrogen, solar, hybrid, battery powered) are what we will se in the future.

[commoner]

Well...seeing that EVERYBODY knows oil will eventually run out......my theory is that "They" already have alternatives in the pipeline (pun NOT intended) which could be produced at the drop of the proverbial hat....it's just that they are going to milk "oil" for every last penny before coming out with it.............after all, they have had over a hundred years to think about....commoner

[jordonj]

As far as I know, estimates were made before China was taken into account....

There are alternatives, hydrogen for example

From what I've read, Hydrogen is produced through a process that uses oil (not that I would mind being wrong about that).

Some people naturally object to hundreds of these darned great wind generators spoiling the landscape.

Yep, even leaving aside the oil used to manufacture them, there's the NIMBY/BANANA issues....(Not In My Backyard/Build Absolutly Nothing Anywhere Near Anyone)...

When the oil runs out people will finally twig that nuclear is the only way we'll be able to produce the power the world demands.

At the risk of sounding redundant, Uranium is also a non-renewable resource, not to mention environmental disasters (think Chernobyl).  

We're doomed sooner or later, so I don't care that much.

True enough...after all we're all mortal (though I hate to be short-sighted about how we live).  Of course, the  Human race probably won't go on forever...after all, we still haven't been around as long as the dinosaurs were...every race is destined for extintion sooner or later...

[Woodlouse2002]

[quote]
At the risk of sounding redundant, Uranium is also a non-renewable resource, not to mention environmental disasters (think Chernobyl).

[Hagar]

Well...seeing that EVERYBODY knows oil will eventually run out......my theory is that "They" already have alternatives in the pipeline (pun NOT intended) which could be produced at the drop of the proverbial hat....it's just that they are going to milk "oil" for every last penny before coming out with it.............after all, they have had over a hundred years to think about....commoner

I'm not sure about that. The people making a fortune out of oil are not likely to worry on that score. I remember some years ago a local company named IAD was developing an electric-powered car for use in Los Angeles I believe. I forget the details but this was to comply with new legislation to combat the permanent pollution in the city caused by internal combustion engines. It was to be introduced within a certain time period & compulsory. Everything suddenly went quiet so I can only assume someone put the kybosh on that one. No guesses as to whom that might have been. As I understood it, the main problem was the batteries which although much better than they were are still comparatively heavy with a short range. Put as much money into developing the batteries as they do on producing oil & we might get somewhere.

Almost everything you can think of in our modern society depends on oil in some way. I believe that plastic is a by-product of the oil-refining process & look how much we use of that particular material these days. Much of it, like packaging materials for example, is completely unnecessary to my way of thinking.

[Craig.]

I think you're both being equally short-sighted & selfish. My first grandchild is due in June. I don't want that child to suffer for our greed & wastefulness

Just like your generation were. Just like any generation that has been using oil has been. maybe now it will kick someones ass into gear to find a viable alternative.

[jordonj]

Yes. that's assuming these saftey standards are followed...also I'm not sure about depleted uranium being safe, it is suspected for several health problems in areas where it was used as munitions...

[Hagar]

Just like your generation were. Just like any generation that has been using oil has been. maybe now it will kick someones ass into gear to find a viable alternative.

I don't deny that Craig. My generation is responsible for a lot of problems in the world today. My only excuse is that we were not made aware of it. Unless they're blind or deliberately ignoring it I don't think anyone can use that excuse any longer.

[jordonj]

maybe now it will kick someones ass into gear to find a viable alternative.

Here's hoping...

[ozzy72]

I don't think its fair to criticise Hagars generation, afterall it wasn't until the first oil crisis in the '70s that anyone started to think about;
a) what happens if it does run out?
b) alternatives!
And I'm with Doug on the idea that if we blew as much dough on research as the oil companies make in profit every year then we'd probably have some damned fine electric cars etc.
Alternatives will have to be found, otherwise mankind can just go back to living in caves, and frankly there are a lot of people who won't go for that