Doug’s Mouthpiece – Droug.co.uk

Where has all my oil gone?

My Tank Runneth Dry

You’d have to be from another planet not to realize we are headed for a major disaster with the world’s oil supply. We are using it so fast, that depletion of usable reserves is going to be a reality in the not too distant future.

We’re energy hogs. We’re most likely not going to change our consumption habits no matter how many doomsday predictions experts give us. So, what are we going to do when the well runs dry? What will our children do when there is insufficient energy resources to maintain for them an “acceptable” way of life; a way of life they have become accustomed to?

My simple solution is that we are going to have to accept new ways of life, and we need to do this long before the oil reserves become depleted.

Go out on the highways in any major city or rural town. What do you see? Hundreds of cars, buses and trucks, each going their own way, most of them having only one passenger? Does this make sense to you? It doesn’t to me, especially when you consider that many of the people occupying those vehicles are going to similar destinations as their fellow drivers. If we want to have any hope of making our energy resources last, we’re going to have to change our ways in this area. Carpooling, ride share, van share are other such cooperative ventures are going to have to become our norm.

Another thing I notice is how many people will get into traffic for a short hop, especially in city centers. Why? Are there not plenty of alternatives? How about a bicycle to go that six block trip to the supermarket to pick up just a few items? How about a moped or a scooter? Is it necessary to pull a six cylinder vehicle out of the garage for this sort of trip?

How about public transportation? Wow! What a unique concept! Most large city centers have excellent public transit systems, and they run 24/7. Public transportation works. It may take a little longer, but don’t you have plenty of diversions that can fill the added time? I read, get paperwork done, study, listen to music and sometimes even strike up conversations with others during the ride. The time goes by in a flash.

Another energy waster is all the trucks on the roads. Think of all the gas they burn day in and day out, delivering their wares to the same general destinations that other trucks are headed. Why haven’t we developed our rail systems better? Many European countries have excellent rail systems for both commuters and shipping, they can be used more for moving a far greater amount of goods with far less expenditure of oil.

True, we need to develop alternative sources of energy such as wind and solar power. But these development efforts are going to take time. We need to develop alternative energy sources that are practical so that people can rely upon them for their daily commuting and traveling needs. But those are long-term development projects. We need something in the short-term, something that can be implemented right now. I say that something is our own human creativity. We are going to have to find better ways to do the things we need to do in order to maintain or improve upon our current quality of life. I say that the best alternative source of energy is going to be our willingness to change and adapt to a new lifestyle, one that embodies a bit less convenience, but takes into account the needs of others; future generations. We are going to have to learn to think twice before we just put the keys in the ignition of a large automobile. We are going to have to learn to give up some convenience if we want to leave a planet for our grandchildren and great grandchildren that can support them into their old age. We will need to consider the needs of others; not just ourselves when we decide how to get from point A to point B.

Maybe the increasingly spiraling cost of natural gas and oil is a good thing. Maybe it will be a wake-up call for many of us. Maybe when it costs three times as much to have those books delivered to our homes by the online store, we will consider bicycling to our favorite bookstore when we want something new to read. Maybe when we become dangerously close to depleting our stores of oil we will accept the fact that we are living in a new age, one where we may have to give up some conveniences for the good of future generations.

Personally, I think that could actually be a good thing. Now leave that car in the garage and grab the bus to work! Who knows? You might actually enjoy the ride.

Doug who does like his train rides

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Politics written by Doug Scott