Hello all of you! It's great to be part of a forum in which you can talk about anything. I have one question to ask: Which countries with big oil economies are making an effort to invest in other industries which don't rely on oil so much? Is Saudi Arabia doing anything to reduce its dependence on oil industries? Or another country? Thanks for your help!
Personally I think the only way out for the US and other nations is more oil. There's just hardly anything else we are capable of producing at a price anyone else can afford. And regardless of what anyone says, we have a lot of oil, shale and other carbon based energy.
They all are... and yes, even saudi arabia is investing in alternative energies. But they aren't doing it how you think. You might expect countries to facilitate "green" much the same as say companies like BP who soon enough will be campaigning green alternatives to combat fall out from the gulf. But alas... they aren't doing it that way. See, where companies play a popularity game. Which is what a public green campaign is. Countries have to establish control. Big oil countries bar a few dont care if others like them or not. They just need to know that they have control over energy assets either before or in Americas case after they have been discovered. The difference in this energy revolution is that assets in this one dont come in the form of oil rich land. They come in the form of knowledge and necessity something which needs patents and favor. So i guess what im saying is dont look to or rely on the government of big oil countries to facilitate alternatives that way. Rely on them to do there ugly best to get control of as much as they can.
nationmaster.com/graph/ene_oil_con-energy-oil-consumption&date=2007]Oil consumption (2007) by country Hy my count that says us oil consumption has gone up by %10 since 2001. Pretty soon calculations for your "shale" oil wont mean enough for your needs unless you act now.
I agree the time for shale is now. (I think that's what you're saying) We have about 6Trillion BOE of shale, of which about 2.8T is easily accessible. Most geologist calculate the 2.8T out to 100-150 years. This doesn't count the natural gas, oil and other carbon fuels such as coal and hydrates. The point is, we're a long way from needing green energy. By the time we need it, the technology will make it worthwhile.
What im saying is even if more than 4t was easy enough to get to, estimating alsmost 210 years of oil independance. This figure of 210 years is based on a fixed rate of consumption. From early 2000's even the ups and downs have still seen the U.S. rate of consumption increase over %10, along with others. Its like feeding the angry fire. The more you give it the more it wants. So shale or no shale... it doesnt matter. The point is not wether or not we have enough or need more. Its about how soon we can get rid of it from our diet, and begin to rely of alternative sources. If not completely, atleast get some sort of eco-freindly standard for civil transportation. I have no doubt the U.S. has enough oil to last for ages the point is there is also enough there to do sufficient damage to the worlds climate. C'mon - Katrina anybody?? The Gulf??? this was a quick post sorry for typo's
I don't think there's any correlation between Katrina and man-made global warming. And as bad as the gulf was, we find out today that nature has cleaned almost all of the oil in the sea. If there is a ecological downside to more exploring, it can wait. The fact that we are firmly into a depression, perhaps one much deeper than the last, bears much more importance. Getting energy out of the ground not only produces good jobs, but makes the real cost of everything less. That's the important issue right now.
If there isn't a "correlation" between global warming and emmisions then we have nothing to worry about. Point being, there IS and there is plenty to worry about. "Katrina" does not exactly leave a message saying "hi there, i was caused by global warming". But the spate of extreme wether patterns over the past 10yrs is proof in itself. And im sure your not denying global warming. And as far as the gulf is concerned, you say nature has "cleaned" almost all the oil in the sea. This is poppy cock! Firstly a marine ecosystem cleans nothing it only dilutes it, moves it somewhere else, and deposits it. It is fact that you can sample any open water system in the world and find traces of polluting oil. However small, its there. It doesn't go away, more so - it just goes everywhere. Its not ok to put research into alt. feuls on hold just because the economy is in jeopardy. Finding alternative feuls is the solution to your problem. Think about it. Surely you dont beleive what the oil giant is spewing. And who was it that told you most of it was cleaned up, can you source it?
Microbes Munching Gulf Oil : Discovery News I've got a lot of friends in the oil industry, the jobs are extremely good. The green crowd has a hard time measuring the effects of man-made global warming. However, we can measure the temperature of the economy: 19% real unemployment $13T budget deficient $1T trade deficient 1.5% GDP $65T unfunded liabilities and on and on........ Nobody can provide me with any evidence that the planet is sick. The economy and the republic are on life support. Drill baby, drill - good jobs, smaller trade deficient, lower transportation cost. Such an easy solution.
Okay that proves that the economy is crap. But to think that oil is the answer is only staving a repeating process. What do you want? ...To fix it (the economy) i presume... The question is quick-fix or real-fix. The quick fix ("drill baby, drill")is a fix indeed. Pump more Black Gold, the economy strengthens and so on. But inevitably the same conditions that brought this, and previous recessions on will repeat and you'll be back where you started. Only better of for the fact that you made it another decade or so. And as for proof "the planet is sick". There is no SINGLE smoking gun. But as for proof there is physical and observed evidence. There's arctic/antarctic core drilling samples showing trends in the planets gaseous atmosphere dating back to many thousands of years. Ground drilling samples from all over the world doing the same. Changes in marine culture are so obvious even Ex. Pres. Bush Jr. advocates it. Atmospheric changes are measured real-time and C02 emissions are having obvious effects, this isn't even debatable, its fact. To sum these together and observe the correlation of the evidence is proof in itself and thus the smoking gun. We are affecting the planets behavior increasing the rate at which we are going to arrive at a global ecological catastrophe. The only solution is to suffer further. I know that sounds harsh but let me explain. The majority of american people are victims of complacency. As such there is no REAL motivation to instigate change. If suffering is good for anything, its good at unifying a nation (i think its called Universal-Suffrage...dunno could be wrong) . Hopefully realizing that the time is now. Not after this recession, but NOW! This means a decade or so of times like these and probably worse, unfortunately. During this time the country can make a difference. I honestly believe that. Although in turmoil the countries history has proven time and time again that Americans are resourceful and capable of things like this. I should say at this point that i am not from the U.S. nor do i live there. I dont particularly admire your state of affairs over there, and nor do i think your foreign policies are solid. I think you have a bad name at the moment, by fault of the people who represent/ed you in government. Not Obama though, i think you guys should keep re-electing him so he can get you out of the shit your in and get on with the good stuff. Shame for him, getting to power when the country is in a sad state of affairs. But take it from me (a New Zealander, Kiwi, rugby playing friends of yours) he's a good guy, there will be stuff ups with him but his heart is right. There are proven alternatives too many to list. But its the strangle hold of the "old-guard" that is stopping it. Remember that thread of yours "100 reason why you cant get a job!". Ask the old guard where your money went. Better yet ask them to give it back. USE ALTERNATIVES = GET YOUR JOBS BACK = This doesn't happen again! ..i know this is long but ive wanted to say this for ages, and i type real fast so it doesn't take long. Now, the discovery.com link. Yes there are microbes eating the oil an so what if they eat every speck. What happens to those microbes? ... they get eaten by something and that something gets eaten by a bigger something and so on. Are those microbes helping the countless marine biology choking on the stuff right now? No!. Will those microbes clean the beaches and affected waterways? No. Will the fishing industry in the area experience a bumper season in the foreseeable future? I'd bet on, No. Will the microbes eat the oil make the water LOOK clean, redistribute the stuff into the food chain etc...? I think, Yes. Just because you cant see it, does not mean its not there. However. Its not so much the oil spills direct effect on the environment. Its the effect of oil that makes it into your car that is affecting the oceans. Increased CO2 quantities in the atmosphere are being absorbed by the ocean increasing acididty and drastically affect marine biology everywhere. Not just oceans but lakes, rivers, ponds and puddles.
