The last little while there is a phrase appearing in the news, "peak Oil."That's the point in time when the world will reach peak production and usage of the worlds oil stocks. Its coming soon according to many, later according to some.
After peak oil we will start to experience higher prices, less availability and the world will be plunged into darkness and chaos. Rivers of lava will flow like fire through the streets, only the righteous will be saved from a fate worse than death. life without electricity will be harder than we know to bear..Oops, wrong story. Or is it? There's many people who think that the rapture, or Armageddon are a'comin. Is this what they mean?
The far reaching consequences of Peak oil are scarily, and completely covered in the book,
"The Party's Over" by Richard Heinberg. He outlines what industry and infrastructures will be decimated, and how we as a society will not survive in our current form. The Peak Oil chronic crisis will affect Transportation, healthcare, agriculture, food distribution, manufacturing, communications.....The list goes on and on. You only need to think about the chain of events that gets a Swanson TV dinner to your table to realize how screwed we really are.
But, look at it this way; someone is going to make a crapload of money.
Peak Oil and who profits?
The economy of the world is driven by supply and demand. For many years the oil companies have set their own prices, they have certain criteria to name their price per barrel of oil. The oil cartels in the middle east, storms, earthquakes, wars, hangnails.....When the prices at the pump shoot up and the consumers grumble, the oil companies have to come up with a reason for the rising costs of oil, and therefore the rising costs of gas, and then the consumer price indexes on all other commodities which are then passed on to us, the consumer. We feel these shifts in price about 15 different ways until the price settles down. In the case of peak oil, the costs of actually producing oil will be higher, but because supply will not meet demand it will be trumped even higher. Its not unreasonable to assume that oil will reach 200 and waaaay more than 500 a barrel. The costs to the environment will be substantially higher, with drilling in the arctic, offshore drilling, and the tar sands of Alberta playing a big role.
The supply, will be far under the demand because of population growth, and the new kids on the block joining the market economy and the industrial revolution, India and China. These two countries with their combined populations all consuming fossil fuels, will accelerate the forthcoming peak oil chrisis, and the global warming deadlines.
Ok, I know your with me so far. Cause this is where I get all conspiracy theory on ya.
Cold Fusion and alternate energies
This is your future. At the moment there are alternate fuels being looked at by many countries. These alternate energies are solar, water, wind, nuclear and recycled materials and composting. Also, there's things like using our own daily life and travel to give something back COOL LINK The problem, is there has to be cash to research and refine these alternate energies. In this place, all governments fall behind.
"What people don't realize is we're addicted to foreign oil" George Bush.
Well, ya. DUH! The president of the US just heard that apparently. He said it with such awe, and has said it in virtually every state of the union address since he was ensconced in power. My question for Mr Bush would be: Why the hell aren't you looking for something other than fossil fuels then dipshit? (Im supposing that the dipshit comment would have to go if I actually met the man before the secret service shipped me back to spuzzum BC on one of their special planes with an extended stopover in Cuba)
I would also like to ask him why he has offered tax incentives and breaks to Gas guzzler SUV's and Hummers?
These are serious questions many have asked, and no one has gotten a straight answer for them. This brings me to:
Fun ways to deny global warming!
Hire people who specialize in editing official reports and documents. Lawyers with absolutely no background in science are preferable.
Keep the scientists away from the press, who may have importantinformation....like say....The glaciers in Greenland are melting at twice the estimated speed
Cronies make for great information control. It makes no matter if they haven't the credentials listed on their resume and its darn funny to have uneducated 24 year olds dictate to NASA scientists.
Cut funding to all alternate fuel research programs. Give fun press conferences at research facilities that have just laid off 32 staffers and are facing theleanest budgets ever., and then quietly reinstate the jobs JUST beforehand.
Refuse to sign worldwide agreements that would limit greenhouse gases and reduce the risk significantly in a reasonable amount of time.
Stick your fingers in your ears and hum loudly. Souza works the best.
Tomorrow: part 2. The alberta tar sands, and the Canadian Neocons.