I've been reading one particular website and many of its links all day on the subject of 'Peak Oil'.
'Peak Oil' is the point at which the world produces the highest volume in a year in history, and what happens after the supply can no longer meet the demand after that.
I am scared shitless - life could be very different in 15 years as experts and commentators are now beginning to predict that 'Peak Oil' will occur in 2009 or before.
Check it out for yourself and see what you think - Life After The Oil Crash - Introduction
Be afraid, be very afraid?
"Life after the oil crash" - very scary shit
What I do find odd about this article is that it's written from an American perspective, yet Americans are the worst oil guzzlers in the world.
The Bush administration has refused to commit his country to reducing oil consumption, America remains a country where a Volkswagon Passat is considered a small car, where they drive only themselves around in some 20 foot long sedan without thinking about the amount of oil it's guzzling, and they continue to almost universally drive cars with automatic transmission which are not as fuel efficient as their manual counterparts. And of course they continue to enjoy some of the cheapest fuel prices in the world, giving the average man on the street no reason to think about changing to a smaller and more efficient vehicle.
The Bush administration has refused to commit his country to reducing oil consumption, America remains a country where a Volkswagon Passat is considered a small car, where they drive only themselves around in some 20 foot long sedan without thinking about the amount of oil it's guzzling, and they continue to almost universally drive cars with automatic transmission which are not as fuel efficient as their manual counterparts. And of course they continue to enjoy some of the cheapest fuel prices in the world, giving the average man on the street no reason to think about changing to a smaller and more efficient vehicle.
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MrTomServo
- Posts: 161
- Joined: Mon 11 Aug, 2003 14.15
- Location: California
As I've always said about peak oil, the hardest part for people won't be finding fuel for their vehicles, but doing without plastic. Right now, you're using a plastic mouse, connected by a plastic-shielded cable (or using a plastic-housed wireless connector) to a greatly-plastic computer. You're staring at a plastic screen. You're sitting in a plastic chair. You're drinking from a plastic cup, and talking on a plastic phone.
The information economy -- and the transmission of electricity -- will largely be impossible with the absence of manufacturing plastics. Medicine will take about a 100-year step backwards in terms of sterility and life-saving surgical technologies. Unless we come up with a different way to develop a lightweight material to replace plastics (silicon-based ceramics made from sand, perhaps) we're going to have a very tough time.
Life could, for the most part, return to what it was around 1910 or so. That's not to say life was bad around then, but it's going to make it vastly more difficult to support a global population of 6.5 billion using technologies from the turn of last century.
I'm just worried that the ladies won't be able to shave their legs with their disposable razors. Priorities being what they are, of course.
The information economy -- and the transmission of electricity -- will largely be impossible with the absence of manufacturing plastics. Medicine will take about a 100-year step backwards in terms of sterility and life-saving surgical technologies. Unless we come up with a different way to develop a lightweight material to replace plastics (silicon-based ceramics made from sand, perhaps) we're going to have a very tough time.
Life could, for the most part, return to what it was around 1910 or so. That's not to say life was bad around then, but it's going to make it vastly more difficult to support a global population of 6.5 billion using technologies from the turn of last century.
I'm just worried that the ladies won't be able to shave their legs with their disposable razors. Priorities being what they are, of course.
I've asked this before, but I forget the answer, is there a reason why plant oils (vegetable oil, sunflower oil etc) can't be used in place of mineral oil?
Or indeed, now that we are seeing cars being lubricated with a fully synethic oil rather than a mineral oil, is it possible to expand the development of these (what are presume are man made) oils so they can be used as a fuel aswell?
Obviously not being a chemist I'm missing some fundamental point here, but mineral oil is the only type of oil that is running out. And when there are other types of oil around, why are these not suitable for at least some of the tasks that mineral oil is used for at present?
Or indeed, now that we are seeing cars being lubricated with a fully synethic oil rather than a mineral oil, is it possible to expand the development of these (what are presume are man made) oils so they can be used as a fuel aswell?
Obviously not being a chemist I'm missing some fundamental point here, but mineral oil is the only type of oil that is running out. And when there are other types of oil around, why are these not suitable for at least some of the tasks that mineral oil is used for at present?
I, like MrToms, am worried about plastic more than oil for my car.
I sit here at my desk and what do I see?
Plastic broadband modem, plastic keyboard, plastic mouse, plastic mobile phone, plastic coca cola bottle, my television is plastic.
If oil runs out, can't we recycle all this plastic we already have, though?
I sit here at my desk and what do I see?
Plastic broadband modem, plastic keyboard, plastic mouse, plastic mobile phone, plastic coca cola bottle, my television is plastic.
If oil runs out, can't we recycle all this plastic we already have, though?
User Removed
Unfortunately, most plastic ends up being stuck in a big hole in the ground or burnt. A major shift in change in attitude is what's needed - more recycling and less waste.Jamez wrote:If oil runs out, can't we recycle all this plastic we already have, though?
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MrTomServo
- Posts: 161
- Joined: Mon 11 Aug, 2003 14.15
- Location: California
Absolutely they can be. I'm sure you've read plenty of stories about bored Welshmen who convert their cars to run on (insert name of strange substance here).cwathen wrote:I've asked this before, but I forget the answer, is there a reason why plant oils (vegetable oil, sunflower oil etc) can't be used in place of mineral oil?
But! (And that's with a capital B ...) In order to satisfy the needs of all the cars in every country, we'd have to grow corn, canola and sunflowers all year long on every scrap of farmland available. It takes a lot more veggies to make the same amount of oil that you can get from the ground.
This goes back to my point that it would be entirely possible to reach a new equilibrium without oil, but just with far fewer people (thus lessening demand) on the planet.
Plastic recycling is not a 100 percent in, 100 percent out process. There is some waste no matter how efficient the recycling process is. So, eventually, the raw plastic itself will run out, as the supply is gradually eaten away by recycling and other forms of waste.Jamez wrote:If oil runs out, can't we recycle all this plastic we already have, though?
The good news is that you can save that plastic Coke bottle on your desk, James, and it will be worth a cool grand someday!
Let's bomb China! If we obliterate that country, we'll have 1 Billion less greedy chinks feeding on our resources!MrTomServo wrote:
This goes back to my point that it would be entirely possible to reach a new equilibrium without oil, but just with far fewer people (thus lessening demand) on the planet.
User Removed
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Big Brother
- Posts: 184
- Joined: Fri 15 Aug, 2003 13.21
My local council has started this major recycling programme... in which we have no choice but to take part. lol
We have been provided with a large Green Composte bin. And a decent sized Green box for all things paper, plastic and cans.
The Compost bin gets emptied every 2 weeks and the green box every week. Meanwhile there is a sting to it. The traditional black "wheelie" bin as it's known usually fills pretty quickly and hence why they were emptied weekly. Not anymore. Know your traditional wheelie bin only get's emptied every 2 weeks when the green one doesn't.
A lot of people are moaning about it - mainly because they can't be bothered to put bottles in the box and raw food waste in the green bin. Certain streets are now filled with rubbish people cannot be bothered to put in the correct box/bin.
It's the way to go, but it demonstrates the british publics ignorance in recycling... coincidently Angus Council refuse to go back to emptying the bins weekly.
(They've got these wierd looking lorry's too, split into compartments for all your paper, plastic & cans... and they make some hell of a noise with it at 7am as they empty your box)
I do agree that China/East and the US are the biggest problems here. With China & the east I can understand why they want more oil for cars & plastic etc. But should they be allowed to follow in our bad example of oil consumption and pollution. With the US however I think, no offence to them, but it's rediculous. (This is for all those Mums in the UK who have massive people carriers for 2 kids). There is no need to have huge massive cars and truck and jeeps just to get your shopping from your local Walmart.
What I fail to see is why exactly all these small cars do so well over here, yet in America you never hear or see the sight of Citroen C3 or Ford Fiesta etc? I know I'm not American but I would really like to see the new/continueing President do something about it rather than sort out the goings on of other countries like Iraq.
We have been provided with a large Green Composte bin. And a decent sized Green box for all things paper, plastic and cans.
The Compost bin gets emptied every 2 weeks and the green box every week. Meanwhile there is a sting to it. The traditional black "wheelie" bin as it's known usually fills pretty quickly and hence why they were emptied weekly. Not anymore. Know your traditional wheelie bin only get's emptied every 2 weeks when the green one doesn't.
A lot of people are moaning about it - mainly because they can't be bothered to put bottles in the box and raw food waste in the green bin. Certain streets are now filled with rubbish people cannot be bothered to put in the correct box/bin.
It's the way to go, but it demonstrates the british publics ignorance in recycling... coincidently Angus Council refuse to go back to emptying the bins weekly.
(They've got these wierd looking lorry's too, split into compartments for all your paper, plastic & cans... and they make some hell of a noise with it at 7am as they empty your box)
I do agree that China/East and the US are the biggest problems here. With China & the east I can understand why they want more oil for cars & plastic etc. But should they be allowed to follow in our bad example of oil consumption and pollution. With the US however I think, no offence to them, but it's rediculous. (This is for all those Mums in the UK who have massive people carriers for 2 kids). There is no need to have huge massive cars and truck and jeeps just to get your shopping from your local Walmart.
What I fail to see is why exactly all these small cars do so well over here, yet in America you never hear or see the sight of Citroen C3 or Ford Fiesta etc? I know I'm not American but I would really like to see the new/continueing President do something about it rather than sort out the goings on of other countries like Iraq.
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James Martin
- Posts: 1011
- Joined: Sun 15 Feb, 2004 19.26
We now have a recycing scheme in Hinckley which is similar - it's the way to go but there's a lot of people who can't be arsed to take part properly.