Should we conserve our oil or use it like it's no tomorrow?
453377
hey, use it all up, once its gone its gone, then we all move onto something else... YAY!\n\nfinally
561541
Try Reading the END OF OIL by Paul Roberts.\nIt'll run out a darn-sight sooner than we thought!\nOIL companies have/did lie about the amount of oil they have left.\nThe oil that is being pumped now has 2 go thru more refining than ever B4 & is down 2 the amount of Sea water they pump in 2 the fields.\nEverytime a alternative 2 oil is investigated the Oil companies surpress the data.  They R not going 2 give up on oil until every last drop has been extracted & no-one can predict exactly what affect this will have on the Planet. I'm sure that any warnings would proberly supressed by the oil companies 2.
1144949
Absolutely.  There is plenty of oil, enough to last for 100's of years.  Actually if you look at it logically, we will never really run out of oil.  Supplies will dwindle, we will tap into other sources, like oil shale, and oil sand, but the production cots will go up.  Eventually we will get to a point, where the cost is high enough, to make alternative energy sources, profitable.  Once that happens, competition and the free market system will find a cheap efficient substitute, and we will leave oil usage to the third world.
593375
IN a convoluted way, you are making a very good point. Isn't it sad that we change only when forced to? Our consumption of oil is/has produced profound changes to our world...a world that we have no choice but to live in. The greenhouse effect is growing daily, the powers-that-be are so short sighted they do nothing in the serious face of reality. WE are in for some very drastic consequences of our use of oil, and the entire planet will pay heavily for it shortly. In our lifetime, absolutely.
240818
I am very concerned with the rash of natural disasters that are happening and can only really attribute them to global warming. Our planet has the ability to "rebuild" the ozone, but not quickly enough at the rate we are depleting it. I think as Americans and as a consumer nation, we need to get on the clue train about how much we are harming our world by car emmisions and we need to switch to a clean alternative. It's possible, but we fear change.
193951
Oil officials 10, 20, 30, and 40 years ago said AT THAT TIME that we were going to use up what was known to be total global "proven oil reserves." We keep finding more total oil reserves every few years than was thought to exist worldwide a few years previous - kind of funny logic, isn't it? If we keep finding more oil that exceeded known reserves just a few years back, then what are we so concerned about? Interestingly enough, at the same time we keep finding more proven oil reserves, people keep screaming more and more that we are running out of oil - who is right? History says we can keep finding oil, so maybe there is a regenerative process unknown to the scientific community - they can't possibly know everything about everything. \n\nOnly one thing is certain in SCIENCE: it IS ALWAYS CHANGING. Geologists have been getting better year after year at locating oil reserves, and yet so little is known about oil reserves other than location. What is understood to be fact now will be ridiculed in the future by new theories - which have already happened. They thought we couldn't use most crude oil in the early 20th century because nobody knew about cracking or synthesis of crude products, so they just dumped unusable crude products that were not immediately usable as gasoline or diesel. We have come very far since that time in chemistry alone. \n\nIsn't it interesting that what is vaguely understood by a few scientists is continuously spouted as "truth" by those who know far less. SCIENTIFIC FACT IS CHANGEABLE, meaning it can be tested, and if a different result occurs, then the theory changes, resetting what is known as "fact." Oil may be replenishable, and may not necessarily only come from prehistoric plants and animals as current thought suggests. You raise an interesting argument about oil resources, and only the future will let us know for sure - but there will be a definitive answer. Now, who is ready for the truth?
405824
There will be no more oil
329170
If things still like now, in the near future, we will not have oil, so the primary source of energy will be the sun, or water or helium, now if all burned hydrocarbons are not enough to kill all living things on the planet, there will be some culture learned, and humans have learn that the old way (think as owners and masters of our world) is not taking us anywhere, we may find a way to keep us balanced in our own world, so if we still using the earth as out own living home, we should be traveling in sail boats, walking and horse carriages, also the need to travel will be reduced by the virtual reality booths at your local 7-eleven that are going to be free stuff by that time.\n\nWeird ??? may be, but at this point can happen.
82643
If things keep going as they are we wont be driving cars that run on gas. There are electric cars in development and other forms of fuel being developed.
229410
Everything in life has a limit. There's only so much petroleum in the world, as well as resources. If you don't save or recycle them, then your future relatives will have a rough time living. It's vital to save resources.
399942
Most likely yes.I think everyone should park their cars when they don't really have to go anywhere.Hopefully there will be a solution for this problem soon. I limit the gas I pay for because I think the price is getting too high.I say keep your gas,I'll spend the money on something I need more. And of course,I don't think anyone has prevented over-charging for the gas yet,so I just don't buy any more than I absolutely have to have.I know other business suffers too because family's are having to pay more money for gas to go to work,so they don't spend money on other things like extras such as movies,new homes,new clothes etc.I'd drive a solar car if they made one. With global warming there would be plenty of free fuel. Fuel here in South Carolina-I paid 3.69 per gallon this week.The last crisis we had not to long ago,I did pay over 4.00 for gas per gallon.Looks like everything else is going up too. Our family stays home as much as we can.
475568
I think that most Americans have stopped buying "unnecessary" fuel, but they are making more than enough money back off of just the necessary fuel (fuel that is needed for daily life, not all of us can walk to work/carpool)... if you have to have it, you have to have it... cuting consumption further isn't an option for most...\n\nSo what happens when capitiolism fails... seems like we are reaching that point with oil... increasing costs could have a crippling effect on our economy through inflation (especially if costs continue to go up)... is it worth it?\n\nThe reserves should have been released a while back... that's just silly, but that's also a Bush...
70596
Society and the economy demand a steady supply of oil.  I know on no one who has pulled the main circuit breaker of their home or thrown away the keys to their car(s), especially gas guzzlers whether they are liberal or conservative.  It is our problem.  Whoever owns the oil should profit by its sale, but oil need not become a geopolitical football.\n\nThe real question is whether oil will be used to fuel the world or to fuel terrorism.  The fuel problem is only temporary.  We need to capture perhaps 1% of 1% of the sun's solar energy to meet all our needs.  Technology is rapidly improving.  Soon there will be available relatively cheap plastic foil photovoltaic cells to convert solar energy to electrical energy.  The technology already exists.  The roofs of most buildings will be covered with them.  Then we will still need a little oil to lubricate our bikes and hedge clippers.  The problem is to obtain and maintain world peace until then.  And that may be a decade or two.
289079
Oil does rule all politics unfortunately. But can I suggest a simple alternative that we could all see as common sense? Use wind or wave power to generate electricity. Use this energy to split water into its prime components. Let oxygen into the air. Burn the Hydrogen in our cars and have water as the resulting by product. You could almost make this work in your back garden! We would only need lubricating oils then which could probably be created from vegetable sources!
365479
At some point (are we already there?) we will hit what is called peak oil, meaning we will pump more oil that year than was ever pumped or will ever be again.  Then, unfortunately, things will get scary as we are compteting with India and China for oil.  What happens if China makes a move on the oil fields in the middle east?  Are we going to go to war for it?  This doesn't have to come about if our government actually plans for this by funding research into alternative fuel sources.  We can't wait for government, though.  We can change the way we live - enough with the SUVs, turn your heat down, ride (God forbid, if you're an American!) your bike to the store, ect.  Small changes can actually add up if we all do it...or even if 10% of us do.  The key is starting now...not when its already a crisis.
678716
A plan that is diversified is the best plan. We are dependent on fossil fuels because it was seen as a great source of power, so that is what every one went to, now we are addicted.\n\nA plan that uses multiple sources of fuel, rather than putting all our eggs in one basket, might include geothermal, wind, solar, hydroelectric, or even tidal power to generate electricity. Electricity can then be easily stored for use in planes, cars, and trains in addition to running such appliances as the computer that I am using at the moment.\n\nTo offer up only one suggestion is to lead us down the road to another addiction. Diversification is the plan that has the most potential for kicking the oil habit, and securing a more stable future.
497047
I think we are going to run out of crude oil.  We have such a need for it, that we will be in a lot of trouble.