Is Oprah Our Only Hope? Or, If Humanity Doesn’t Grow Up Fast, Can We Survive?

2 Responses to “Is Oprah Our Only Hope? Or, If Humanity Doesn’t Grow Up Fast, Can We Survive?”

1. Clifford J. Wirth Posted: Mar 4th, 2008 at 3:52 pm

   1 The only solution is conservation of oil, gas, and coal. Unfortunately, these resources will be depleted with catastrophic results, as documented in the report, which anyone is welcome to publish. (Abstract) This paper examines scientific and government studies in order to provide reliable conclusions about Peak Oil and its future impacts. Independent studies indicate that global oil production peaked in 2006 (or will peak within a few years) and will decline until all recoverable oil is depleted within several decades. Because global oil demand is increasing, declining production will soon generate high energy prices, inflation, unemployment, and irreversible economic depression. Regardless of the time available for mitigating Peak Oil impacts, alternative sources of energy will replace only a small fraction of the gap between declining production and increasing demand. Because oil under girds the world economy, oil depletion will result in global economic collapse and population decline. As oil exporting nations experience both declining oil production and increased domestic oil consumption, they will reduce oil exports to the U.S. Because the U.S. is highly dependent on imported oil for transportation, food production, industry, and residential heating, the nation will experience the impacts of declining oil supplies sooner and more severely than much of the world. North American natural gas production has peaked, importation of natural gas is limited, and the U.S. faces shortages of natural gas within a few years. These shortages threaten residential heating supplies, industrial production, electric power generation, and fertilizer production. Because U.S. coal production peaked in 2002 (in terms of energy provided by coal), the U.S. will experience significantly higher coal and electric prices in future years. The U.S. government is unprepared for the multiple consequences of Peak Oil, Peak Natural Gas, and Peak Coal. Multiple crises will cripple the nation in a gridlock of ever-worsening problems. Within a few decades, the U.S. will lack car, truck, air, and rail transportation, as well as mechanized farming, adequate food and water supplies, electric power, sanitation, home heating, hospital care, and government services. Full report at: http://www.peakoilassociates.com/ Reply to this comment.

2. Vidura Barrios Posted: Mar 5th, 2008 at 4:29 pm

   2 I had the privilege of seeing Jeffrey Sachs from the Earth Institute speak about this subject at Columbia University not that long ago. It was interesting because he spoke of the idea of “systems” of how we can implement them to rapidly get rid of problems. He gave the example of the problem of the Ozone Layer we had a few years back. Somehow the world got together and tackled the problem very fast. So yes. I think systems and technology can be applied to improve some of the most pressing problems in the world right now. I am familiar with the work of Mr Tolle, and he speaks about an idea familiar with Yoga philosophy, that the outer world is just a mirror of the inner reality of human beings. The idea that our collective “ego” has created the current mess of pollution and conflict. So the problem has to be tackled from both fronts. Systems and technology can definitely be improved but also each individual has to take a hard look to his or herself and realize what an impact we can have in this world. Vidura Barrios Inner Splendor Media www.innersplendor.com Reply to this comment.