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I’ve been reading and thinking about this subject quite a bit lately. National Geographic published an excellent article in June 2004 titled “The End of Cheap Oil” which shows that we have some difficult choices to make in the coming years. Most credible predictions peg the peak of oil production in between 2010 and 2020. With consumption rates still rising yearly despite significant increases in fuel efficiency, how are we going to deal with the inevitable crisis ahead?

When you consider how much we rely on fossil fuels in our daily lives, its hard to imagine what a price increase would mean, let alone a critical shortage. Besides their obvious use in vehicles, fossil fuels play an important role in energy generation, industrial processes, pharmaceuticals and are an essential ingredient for making plastics. If you had to choose between gas for the daily commute to work, heating your home through a harsh winter, or the latest surgical equipment for a loved one’s operation, how would you decide? There aren’t any easy choices here.

What concerns me the most is how little we’ve done so far to tackle this problem. Its been well-publicized since the 1970’s that our planet’s fossil fuel resources are limited and that we’re heading towards a crisis. Yet we do little about reducing our dependence and usage, hoping optimistically that someone will find a way to make it all better. I admit that I’m tempted to do the same: the thought of what the world might be like when the crisis arrives is pretty difficult to swallow. But by ignoring the problem and leaving it for someone else to solve, we are only helping to solidify that reality.

Instead, let’s start by looking at our daily lives and identifying areas that we could reduce our consumption. Taken individually, this may not seem like much, but collectively we could make a difference. Even if that change causes yearly consumption rates to stall rather than rise, we’ll have broken out of the vicious cycle we’re currently trapped in. And I strongly believe that increased awareness –no, not just awareness, but recognition — will be the first big step towards securing a brighter future for ourselves and our children.

Further reading: “Myths and Realities of Mineral Resources” by Walter Younquist