Imagine a world without oil: Infographic
Thanks to our oil addiction, such a world would include rolling blackouts, minimal transportation, dwindling food supplies and possibly war.
Comments
The biggest problem is in this world is that is way too many people here and population keeps on rising. There is no way to stop our demise without some sort of disease or natural disaster to limit our population. sorry to be so morbid but it is the truth
Yes, it is said that a sustainable world population of humans is around 2 billion. We are heading towards 9 billion.
You do know that Hemp fuel/oil would be the greatest thing. A plant that is the most universal the world has to offer. Something that can be grown anywhere, would make clothes, foods, buildings, houses, cars, plastics, fuel, and of course OIL.
World without oil? What about the oil we need for lubrication? Oil that is used in many engines, motors, and other machinery? How about hydraulic fluids? We get more than gasoline from petroleum. How about plastics?
See Moving Beyond Oil at www.aesopinstitute.org
Note 400 Chernobyls? on the same website to understand why superseding fossil fuels can take place much more rapidly than might be imagined.
Nice graphical representation, but the pic for 8.8 of 10 Americans commute by car shows 7.8 cars out of 10. Otherwise very well done.
I totally agree with Ron's suggestion of taxing gas an additional $3.00. It would be very painful for the 99% of the Nation, but pain is a great motivator for us to do what we need to do.
The FIRST thing to save oil is to run our existing Green public transit! Since the 2008 crash over 150 Green transit systems have had drastic service cuts and fare hikes just as public transit ridership was increasing by double digits in months. The US uses 3 times the oil per capita of Europe as a whole due to our auto addiction. Yet a Brookings study last May showed that 70% of working age Americans in 100 US metro areas ALREADY live only 3/4ths mile from a Transit Stop! BUT due to infrequent.... More
Our national goal should be to totally remove ourselves from the use of oil, as quickly as possible; while reserving the remaining oil within our control. In other words: Instead of being dependent on the last drops of oil left; we should be in a position to be selling the last drops of oil left.
This seems to be operating from obsolete information. In 2005 it was accepted that Peak Oil was possible. Mainland american oil reserves reached a minimum amount in 2008. But, US oil reserves have increased every year since then. A new technology called horizontal drilling was developed. American oil drilling has advanced to the point that with a precise GPS location and depth, they can put a drill through a 5 gallon water bottle, vertically or horizally up to 5 miles down. The tech called.... More
fracking - as you suggest - also includes damaging/poisoning the underground water tables. It is not a viable source at the expense of contaminating our natural water supplies.
If you knew 5 minutes before the Titanic hit the iceberg, would you say - I and my family and friends are all going to die OR what steps can I take to give them the best chance possible to survive. (btw - the very best research on long term survival points to not personal, but immediate community networking and cooperation. ...and guess what else guns actually count less than connecting with neighbors!)
Ben, I agree with you. Community will be the key to survival. You may already be aware of the Transition movement that began in the U.K. a few years back. People living in towns and villages are working to make their communities "resilient" to the end of oil. Here is a link to the U.S. efforts http://transitionus.org/
If I may add that the graphic is missing one key element and that is the current rate
What can we do? At the moment, it sure looks like we are screwed.
Tax gas an additional $3 per gallon. Many people will start walking and bicycling to and from school and work and the to grocery store. People will stop buying those big gas guzzling SUV's and get motorcycles and mopeds instead for longer commutes. This will encourage alternative fuel useage, and electric cars will start selling like crazy (which will bring their prices down to much more realistic values).
Hi Ron Gas (petrol) is already taxed in the UK a whopping 88% it still makes no impact. government will not help this problem, we need to help ourslves, tell me was it because government cared about organic food, that we now have it? of course not, it was all down to folk who cared, not government.
be the change you wish to see, you can only change what you can influence, & you can only influence what you can yourself directly change. only way this will happen
PEACE, but not to.... More
Hey annonymous, I have been to the UK and guess what TAXING DOES MATTER! The vast majority of vehicles are small and run 4 cylinders. No V8 vettes, camaros, mustangs, challengers, tundras, silverados, tundras, f150s, rams or suvs. And people use mass transit MUCH more extensively.
Ron is correct in asking for a tax increase on oil. While $3/gallon is more than warranted, we'll have a very hard time getting even the smallest tax increase in today's political climate, but that shouldn't discourage us from trying. The argument can easily be made that additional taxes to cover the external costs of oil should be over $5 more then they are today, but let's start with something smaller and concrete that can be argued without opposition to everyone.
A recent RAND study.... More
