I heard something on the radio that several major oil fields
including Saudi Arabia, a big one in China, Mexico have already
peaked and in decline.
One thing I never hear discussed is plastics which have literally
changed the way we live. Virtually all of them are made from
petroleum as are many of the chemicals used in our economy. You
wonder what will happen with these things if all the remaining oil is
sucked up as fuel. I suppose substitute plastics will be invented
from renewable resources. It is easy to imagine an ordinary sofa with
a synthetic fabric covering a frame and cushions padded with urethane
foam and polyester fiber batting costing more than what is now
considered a luxury sofa with silk fabric, horsehair padding and down
pillows. Alloy cameras would be a cheap alternative to luxury polymer
bodies and it is difficult to imagine a plastic free automobile or
hospital room.
Winsor
Long Beach, California, USA
On Apr 5, 2007, at 8:35 PM, Jan Steinman wrote:
> But there is a growing consensus that the earth's petroleum
> production is at or very near its peak, and will soon begin declining
> by perhaps 3% to 5% per year. Waste vegetable oil can help ameliorate
> this decline while civilization learns to get by on less energy.
> People once lived on 10% of today's energy. They will again someday.
> Like I said, it would be better if we planned for it, rather than
> just let it happen.
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