Demise of the Burbs

Yes the Y2K bug was overhyped but this is different. Oil is undisputedly a finite resource and there is a wealth of information available on the net, from very reliable sources, that we are coming to the peak point where we have extracted roughly half the oil in the worlds ground. This means the remaining half is harder and more expensive to get out of the ground. It is generally a lower quality crude and therefore harder to refine and again more expensive.

Dr Hubbert correctly predicted in 1956 I think that American production of oil would peak in 1970. He was ridiculed by his peers and in 1970 America produced as much oil that year than they had ever previously produced in a year. 1970 was the year they peaked - ever since it has been in steady sharp decline. He also predicted that the world would peak in 1995 but he couldn't have foreseen the saudi oil shocks in the 70's that basically forced the world to conserve energy. I personally think we have peaked already, possibly in the last year or 2 but if I'm wrong we are certainly going to peak within the next 10 years. The evidence out there is overwhelming.

Considering the world economy is based entirely on access to cheap energy and the gargantuan task it would take to change our entire infrastructure to something other than being fossil fuel dependent I think is this the most important crisis to address we have ever faced. Several hard questions and problems facing humanity need to be and answered and solved. We need a Manhatton type project to be started asap that is a combined world effort that involves all of the world's best scientists and greatest minds available to find a workable solution to our fastly approaching energy crisis.

I suppose you are the kind of person who thinks that exponential growth (population, consumption, borrowing etc etc) can go forever in a finite closed system: which is what our planet is btw. The only people who think like that are madmen and economists and it could be argued they are one and the same. It is insane that growth is idolised so much. That is what capatilism is based on I suppose so most people don't won't to listen that we might be growing too fast for our own good.

Do you think global warming is a myth? Top soil depletion?

We use oil for so many things: Plastics, pestisides, fertilisers, chemicals, medicine, petrol etc etc etc

Also in a world without oil, the earth will only sustain 1-2 billion people maximum although possibly a lot less. For every 1 calorie of food you eat 10 calories of oil is used to grow, pacakge and transport that food to you. We literally eat oil. The population of the world is expected to double by at least 2025. Do you think our problems will get better or worse with so many people?

A car is on a road heading towards a cliff with a sheer drop. The pessimist will jump out of the car for fear of going over the edge. The optimist will believe that either the cliff isn't there or someone will build a bridge (market forces?) and accelerates. The realist applys the brakes and stops beore certain disaster. I am a realist and peak oil is a cliff that we seem to be approaching at a rapidly accelerating rate. This scares the hell out of me. We as a race seem to be incapable of thinking beyond the here and now. It is really sad.

The general public of the world need a HUGE wake up call before it's too late although it may already be too late.

But don't worry NewsReactor, go back to sleep and go about your business. This won't affect you.