Much Ado About Drilling

If you've been conscious of the news lately, there's been a lot of talk about "Drill Here, Drill Now!" Treehugger.com recently posted this info graphic from Architecture 2030 based on U.S. Energy Administration Information that shows that all this hot air about drilling would only amount to a drop in our consumption bucket. Seems like our time and tax money might be better spent on finding and funding economically realistic alternatives. Check it out here.

Graphic copyright Architecture 2030

Comments

[Paul Ringstrom]

I still want someone who thinks we can completely get rid of our oil dependency to tell me which alternative energy system they are going to use to power our airline industry. My guess is that it won't be windmills or solar cells.

[Eric]

Maybe not windmills or solar cells. But, if the right minds and enough financial support are put behind coming up with an alternative fuel to petroleum, I have no doubt it could be accomplished. It just takes a level of commitment from all parties involved to make it happen. If the human race can accomplish all the amazing things it has already done, it can surely find an alternative to oil to safely and cleanly power our lives.

[Paul Ringstrom]

There is absolutely NOTHING on the horizon, that is practical, that would do what you hope will happen. As a test, Richard Branson of Virgin Airlines flew a jet from London to Paris where on of the engines was powered by a fuel made from coconuts. It was a successful test, but it came out later that it took 150,000 coconuts to make that quantity of fuel. Assuming that scientists can make anything possible if "it just takes a level of commitment ($$$) from all parties involved to make it happen" is hugely naive.

[Eric]

Thanks for your input, Paul. Your points are always insightful and valid.

However in each of their times, I'm sure things like airplanes, moon landings, cures for polio and other scientific marvels we're impossible to imagine or believe...yet they did happen. The glass may look half empty right now, but human beings are amazingly adept at accomplishing the impossible if we actually decide to make it a priority. We just have to all collectively make it a priority...

Instead of looking at this world view as being naive, I would choose to characterize it as hopeful optimism.

[Paul Ringstrom]

"Hopeful optimism" based on WHAT? Can you point to ANY development on the horizon that would replace liquid fuels in the next twenty years that you can base this "blind faith" of yours on?

An old guy that I share breakfast with occasionally suggests that we capture a UFO and see what powers those since he never saw one at a filling station. I suppose that is something that YOU could "hope" for.

Personally, I need something more substantial than "hope."

[Eric]

Paul, I can respect your need for empirical answers. Since I'm a designer and not a scientist, I'm not equipped to pull one out of my back pocket for you.

However, what I can do is what several other non-scientist people can do: my part to affect change in the ways that I can. Use less, support the organizations and people that are working toward the answers we collectively need, and most importantly keep hope for a better tomorrow. "Hope" that there are answers and a better way is the fuel for creativity. Creativity is at the heart of our past, present and future success as a species. With creative solutions (like possibly turning our mountains of garbage into a fuel source, synthesizing fuel from engineered bacteria or electricity from ocean currents, winds, geothermal, etc) we can have a chance to correct the transgressions of the past and hopefully have a future.

Having hope is only naive if it's blind hope that is not followed-up with personal sacrifice and has inaction at its source. Instead, people who aren't equipped with a lab or the scientific acumen to find the hard answers you are asking for need to take the steps they can to help be a part of the solution. Hope is essential. Without it, life would be pretty bleak indeed.