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Oil peak? (and ramifications)

Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
There's a broad concensus among Western scientists that peak oil production is here or will be soon. The demand for oil continues to rise, as the Western lifestyles and population continue in their race against nature and sustainability, and poorer countries 'develop' their economies by adopting the lifestyles and economies of the West, which are built on the easy availability and cheapness of oil. The predictions about when oil will run out vary, but the concensus is that in 50 years time we'll be buggered. The only alternate viewpoints I can find are on conspiracy sites like David Icke's and this one.
The worry I have is that when oil starts to run out, soon(!), and does run out, (fairly soon!), the whole house of cards that makes up modern life will come crashing down. In the West we are only able to feed our populations due to oil powered imports of food, and oil based chemical 'farming'. The same in fact goes for the developing world. Either we starve or we fight (and kill) for land, as morrocan roll has pointed out, Kissinger seemed to predict or plan this.
These two sites have masses of information about the coming oil crash and the ramifications for society.
I'd welcome your views even if it's an old issue for the board.

Comments

  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    In keeping with my previous recommendations regarding documentaries of relevance to subjects under discussion in various threads, with regard to the issue of Peak Oil, I recommend obtaining a copy of "The End of Suburbia".

    In response to your comment, J, youll find, if you dig a bit, that all the blather one has heard eminating from the mass media about Hydrogen fuel cell research is all smoke and mirrors. In truth, it takes more energy to produce hydrogen than that which is thereby provided. Thus it is neither a viable nor sustainable solution.

    This is merely one of the many points examined in that documentary. I think youll find it most enlightening (and frightening at the same time).
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    erm water contains plenty of hydrogen
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Originally posted by J
    Or we'll have to start using the reserves America has. That way they "own" the world. :yeees:
    Maybe someone will design a decent hydrogen fuel cell?
    I've got a few ideas... I'll keep those to myself.

    american reserves arent that high

    they use more than they prodice too
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Originally posted by MrG
    erm water contains plenty of hydrogen

    And it requires energy to seperate the hydrogen from the water.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Oops, was going to post a link but it turned out to be the same as the original poster's reference. Nevermind!
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    :lol: The "shock-horror" at $7.00 a gallon is making me chuckle.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Originally posted by bad seed
    :lol: The "shock-horror" at $7.00 a gallon is making me chuckle.

    And that's America now. What's gonna happen in the oil 'rich' Arab and African states whose populations are ludicrously bloated by oil dollars when those oil dollars stop arriving? Western aid will have to end simply because our food supplies and 'economies' will inevitably collapse. We can chuckle now, give it 20 years, it'll be our kids fighting wars.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I'm going to invest in some hand tools, solar panels, seeds and water purification equipment that can run on solar power.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I'm surprised at the apparent lack of interest in this issue. I think our politicians are criminally irresponsible for not treating the problem of peak-oil as an urgent issue, in fact preparations for dealing with the coming oil-crash and it's likely catastrophic effects should have been the main global issue for decades. Of course they're not unaware of it, their invasion of Iraq had more than a little to do with it, but moves to safeguard supplies of the remaining oil for the US and her allies aren't a very far sighted or human response. ALL of the world is gonna be hit by the end of cheap-oil, our food production (pesticides and distribution), our health care and disease prevention (drugs and chemicals), our industries and infrastructure (energy), in fact every area of our whole way of life is gonna have to change very quickly and it's gonna come very soon. The guys on dieoff.org and oilcrash have the orthodox scientific view and have very credible concerns about our ability to avoid a massive human catastrophe.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    The new frontpage at oilcrash gives a very good overview. Forgive me for flagging this up again, I just hope that more people will recognise this as a real problem.
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