Every photon of energy we use comes from one single source. The nearest star... our sun.
The only way around this is to emulate the same process of fission & fusion that powers stars, and create energy the really, really old fashioned way. The problem is creating a sustainable process for fusion that is safe and reliable.
Thus, every form of energy in use or proposed today is a carrier, not a producer of energy, some more efficient than others. Therefore, every advance of modern man is a direct result of hydrate fuels, which were created through geologic processes storing the energy of photosynthesis... including computers... lol.
Light crude oil is the most efficient carrier we know... nothing else comes close. No amount of demand stimulation, technology advances, alternative use, or magic dust can change this basic fact.
lowem wrote:Are there enough remaining resources to replace all the existing vehicles with hybrids? ER members have been debating this one.
It's probably a good step in the right direction though.
clv101 Wed Jun 02, 2004 wrote: I've been convinced of "Peak Oil" since I first came across it about a year ago... however I came across this article today:
http://worldnetdaily.com/news/article.a ... E_ID=38645
I don't believe it for a moment, peak oil just has too much evidence and makes too much sense! But it makes you think... what if we've got it wrong? I wouldn't be the first time, in fact the vast majority of what people believed to be true about the world turned out to be wrong given enough time.
clv101 Wed Jun 02, 2004 wrote:Could someone explain to me why peak oil isn't a national debate? I'm sure many governments all over the world have been presented with the evidence and I'm doubly sure the current US administration are 100% aware of the concept having personally seen it first hand with their own domestic production in the 70?s.
So, if we can assume many governments are aware of the impending energy and accompanying economic disaster why no word? What would happen if the government produced an energy white paper explaining peak oil, explaining the imminent shortfall and also that there wasn't an easy way out.
I'm sure this would be jumped on by the media and the public debate we?ve been asking for would be with us?
Is it however because a government can never admit to anything other than a better tomorrow? If they published such a paper would investment stop overnight, would consumer spending decline, would such a report create economic disaster all by itself whilst the oil continued to flow placing the country in question in a worse position than other more uninformed countries?
If we accept that economic disaster is assured come peak oil, is it better to experience it sooner (by educating the population) or to wait until we are forced into it?
There was an editorial like this in the Orlando Sentinel a while back. It acknowledged peak oil, but then started talking about how technology will save us all. It read like "All hail technology! Technology will always come to our rescue!". They just can't piss off the advertisers.
As usual, Pops hits the nail on the head. I agree - if I knew the people well, and if they are of the same mindset, it could be a great arrangement. If not, it could be disaster.
Personally, no amount of bargaining, though, could make me take on additional debt right now. We're saving for expenses and waiting, rather than going into debt to add on to our house. We could get a loan, but I don't want to be obligated to anyone for anything if I don't have to. For most people, though, this is simply not an option. I realize we are very fortunate.
That being said, however, if you have savings, think long and hard about spending more than you have. None of us knows how long it will be before income sources will dry up, and then, you would be in big trouble when the note came due.
Good thought John Denver.
I don't truly believe that politicians are incompetent most of the time. Lets face it these people are clever and intelligent and if they were dumb as fuck would probably ...
High oil prices are a good thing.
High prices will stimulate exploration and new recovery techniques.
High prices will encourage conservation and converting to alternative sources or conduits of energy.
There is likely to be increased government control of petroleum use (probably later in the U.S. than most other places), directing it to essential services, and restricting pleasure & commuting use (as in WWII rationing).
This will tend to extend the plateau of peak production, so demand for energy will have time to be accommodated by other sources.
Possibly there will be a crunch, but I doubt that it will be the end of civilization.
P.S. What is "bottle-brush drilling"?
I'm ready to live an "old times life", I think that while we grew attached to this oil-dependant way of life any of us has heard tons of family stories about WWII, starvation, famine and so on. More or less, we can learn how to cope and kiss good-bye to all our technologies.
But big cities? During WWII in the cities there was a lot of starvation. And remember that in those times farmlands were a lot more developed than now: you could always go out of the city (avoiding bullets!) and find a farmer who sold you some food in exchange of your skills or "modern" gadgets. My grandpa did. Today in Europe we have 3 millions, 5 millions cities: how to feed all that people? With retired elders gardening?
Posted: Tue May 25, 2004 10:30 am
Post subject: Re: Got a link from the big boys!
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Pops wrote:
I saw PeakOil.net (ASPO) was linking to us under "Discuss Peak Oil" or something like that on the home page!
Admin is gonna start making money now!
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That's how I got here. Discuss Peak Oil is indeed the link; upper right hand corner @ home.
I got my introduction to this subject through From The Wilderness and Richard Heinberg's book "The Party's Over"
I hope to participate here more as time permits. For the moment, most of my efforts are going into this thread:
EHS-Net Ecology & Sustainability
Hmmm. Looks like my previous account was suspended (nvdrifter). Gotta start over I suppose.
Today I purchased a new Bushmaster XM-15 E2S 'assault rifle'. Great gun. I guess it's time to start preparing for the decline. Anyone else here own a Bushmaster rifle?
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