Peak oil theory

Former Member

Noticed there have been a couple of threads on here recently concerning petrol prices etc. If you believe some of the theories out there, we are about to reach the peak - prices will continue to rise in the future as the supply gradually peters out. As a H&S and Environmental manager I am concerned. We keep hearing about attempts to implement sustainable replacements, but even though LPG etc are on the up, we are still in for a major shortfall.

This makes interesting reading. Comment please!

Peak oil theory

Former Member

I wouldn't worry yet - there's not going to be a sudden collapse. As oil becomes relatively scarcer, its price will gradually rise and as it rises people will look more and more at the alternatives

Even your own article seems to support that view:

However, it's also why I'm not a hyper-alarmist: as bad as the 1980-82 recession was, it wasn't the end of civilization as we know it. If that's what it takes to get us to reduce oil consumption and get serious about developing alternative energy sources, we'll live through it. And I have little doubt that given 20 or 30 years of motivated effort, we will develop alternatives.

An awful lot of peak oil theorists seem skeptical that market forces have any effect at all, and as a result they predict worldwide calamity as soon as production peaks. History doesn't back that up. Eventually, high prices will cause consumption to drop and will spur both new exploration and development of new energy technologies. If we twiddle our thumbs and wait for a recession to force this to happen, that's not a future to look forward to. But it's not a future of bicycles and truck farms either.

Former Member

as oil dwindles violence will increase ...in fact it has started already or haven't you noticed.

Former Member

Oil's filthy and in terms of clmate change horrendously damaging, any financial or practical motivation to get people onto cleaner energy options is alright by me, those immediate issues at the petrol station might actually make people face up to this long term problem.

Former Member

Has anyone notice the prices are slowly but surely creeping up again? They are now higher than when the blockades began a few years back.

That was my point really ginner, and the reason I started this thread - people still do not see how moving to more environmentally friendly methods in all areas of life will prolong the life cycle of the earth. I see this in my job every day (I'm an Environmental Manager for a manufacturing company), people who just refuse to accept this, and carry on regardless.

Former Member

i think the main problem with gearing up our lifestyles and economies to alternative fuels is the oil industry itself.
it is massive in terms of money machinery and power ...all in the hands of a very few people.
we could do a massive switch over to hemp for bio diesel and lubricants in a very short time at little cost and hemp actualy consumes something like four times the ammount of carbon that it produces when burnt. meaning it is not only easier on the environment but actualy helps start repairing it as soon as we start planting it.
but ...farmers would then hold the monopoly ...even family farms could make a huge comeback in america ...where does that leave the oil families?