Is The Petrol Party Over?

by Eric Hancsak
May 16, 2005

Today we are facing a revolution. Whether we want to admit it or not. Whether we're ready for it or not. It is coming and we can see the whites of its eyes. It is just a matter of how well we prepare and embrace it. That revolution is being started with a simple question: What do we do when the oil runs out?

As Americans, it is no secret that we consume a large majority of the world's oil. Statistics vary, but it is safe to say we use around 20 million barrels per day. A staggering number by global standards, yet it's a number that is on the rise. No real surprise considering our growth. As contemporary societies grow and advance, so does their need for energy. Our energy source of choice for most of the last 100 years has been oil.

While the idea of using oil as our main source of energy seemed, at the time, to be a great idea - it was cheap and plentiful - it now is the source of many problems we never foresaw. Global warming, environmental decay, respiratory ailments and war, to name a few. Unfortunately, we've made our own bed and now we're like that college guy who hasn't changed his sheets all semester. Well, it's time for the laundry.

The entire American economy is based on oil. We've become the richest country in the world for many reasons, one of which is having enough cheap energy to grow and do business. If oil goes away, think what would happen to daily life. While this is a scenario that some laugh at, it is a fact that one day the oil will run out. Granted, this will be a gradual process. But it is a process that is already under way. There have been numerous recent reports that claim the world's oil production will reach its output peak in the next 1 to 5 years. That means that suddenly the glass will only be half full. As supplies drop, prices will rise sharply. And not just the price you pay at the pump. You thought $2.25 per gallon was a lot? Your utility bills will skyrocket too. Eventually, as oil supplies dwindle, energy derived from oil will become unaffordable and unattainable even to the wealthiest Hummer owner. While this drop in supply will not happen over night, it won't take 100 years either. It most certainly will occur in our life time. What can we do to ease the change out of an oil based economy? A revolution perhaps? But what form will that revolution take?

There are 2 ways we can deal with this coming revolution. Just sit back, wait, keep buying oversized wasteful vehicles, stockpile bottled water, hope for the best, and get a kick to the teeth. Or, we can embrace it, admit it's coming, and work to conserve what we have while affordable clean energy sources are perfected.

You. You with the Hummer (or some other monstrosity with 4 wheels). Is that thing really necessary? I know it's a status symbol. It makes you feel powerful, and your kid probably loves it. Not to mention the giant tax write-off you got for making it your "company car." But admit it, it's ridiculous for you to drive it. You don't take it off road. You're not on safari. The only thing you haul is your Blackberry and some soccer balls. Good. Now that you've admitted owning it is silly, what are you going to do to be more responsible?

If it were up to me, I would trade it in for a hybrid or minivan. Today. But we know that's not going to happen. The next best thing we can do is put some pressure on Detroit to manufacture cars that get better gas mileage. They have the technology. They just choose not to develop it because we keep consuming what they're feeding. We also need to let our government know we want clean air, clean water and abundant clean energy. Write your representatives, your senators, your governors, President Bush, and tell them more money should go to the EPA, environmental causes and the developing of cleaner energy sources like solar, wind and hydro.

In a recent speech President Bush declared the need for America to start moving away from our reliance on fossil fuels. Yet, in the same speech mentioned that $2 billion will be going to the development of "clean coal technology" over the next 10 years. This is the type of backward thinking that gets us nowhere. If instead that money were to go toward building wind farms, or developing solar technology, it would be a massive step in the move out of an oil based economy, while creating new jobs and an entirely new global industry.

In the meantime, there are numerous actions one can take, on the home front, to save energy, and money, with very little effort. I'm sure you've heard many of these. So why aren't you doing them?:

Auto-
-Get your oil changed and your tire pressure checked regularly. Your 20 passenger grocery-getter will run more efficiently that way.
-Use public transportation whenever possible.
-Walk or take your bike on short trips.
-Drive 55. Your vehicle runs at its most efficient around this speed.
-Consider a hybrid vehicle or one that gets at least 22-25 mpg during city driving.

Electricity-
-Turn off lights when you leave a room.
-Unplug unused appliances and power strips.
-Keep your furnace and a/c temperature under control.
-Lower the temperature of your water heater to 125 degrees.
-Use window shades to your advantage by keeping them open on sunny cold days.
-Don't let your refrigerator door hang open. Get what you need and close it.

Water-
-Fix leaky faucets.
-Turn faucets off when not in use. Don't let the water run when doing dishes or brushing your teeth.
-Put a brick in your toilet tank to displace water and thus use less when you flush.

Conserve-
-Reuse plastic grocery bags for trash bags or lunch bags.
-Wash and reuse sandwich, Ziploc and freezer bags.
-Start a compost pile with kitchen scraps and yard waste.
-Recycle, recycle, recycle. Your local municipality should have details for your area.

The best way to tackle this revolution is to face it, and become a part of it. Be a leader. Be considerate. Think about how your actions, or inactions, effect those around you as well as future generations. Set a positive example for your children, your neighbors and your government.

Oil is finite. It is not a matter of if it will run out, it is a matter of when. Be ready by taking some easy, yet necessary steps to conserve and adapt to the coming change.