The Monstrosity of Oil

 

 

This Blog was created by Harvey L. and Sven B.

 

 

  1. The Monstrosity of Oil
    1. Question 1:
    1. Question 2:
    1. Question 3:
    1. Question 4:
    1. Sources:

 

 

 

Question 1:

 

 

Is your personal consumption of oil part of the problem?

 

 

 

 

 

The average person in the U.S. consumes more energy than in any other country. Although not all of this energy is in the form of oil or gasoline, this shows that the average person in the U.S. is part of a larger problem. The production of oil, the carbon emissions, the demand of oil, and the price of oil are all linked. If the production of oil increases, the price will decrease and therefore people will be more willing to increase their oil demand, which then contributes to higher carbon emissions. Our demand for oil is part of the problem because it fuels the oil industry.

 

Our growing foreign energy reliance weakens our currency and economy. Every day, we import approximately 11 million barrels of oil. At the current price of about $90 per barrel, that amounts to a net daily outflow of more than half a billion dollars—or $250 billion per year. That's one of the largest items in our massive balance-of-payments deficit, and a major factor in the dollar's declining value. Without the U.S. as a major oil consumer, the oil industry would have excess oil, allowing the price of oil to drop. In today’s oil is treated with as much value as gold. It is the fuel for transportation, production of gods and the backbone of all supplies that we need to carry on with our daily lives. Oil is essential for today’s world to function correctly. But not all oil consumption is necessary. The average U.S. citizen consumes more oil than the citizens of any other country. Clearly, our lifestyle is not at all the most efficient. With a mutual effort across the nation, a great amount of our energy consumption could be easily reduced in a short time. However, if we keep our dependence on oil, we will invite a significant economic slowdown, with painful consequences for all Americans.

 

 

This website show several stistics that compare the different nations to their energy consumption http://www.nationmaster.com/graph/ene_usa_per_per-energy-usage-per-person

 

 

Harvey L. and Sven B. 12/16/07

 

 

Question 2:

 

 

What impact does oil have on our environment?

 

 

Oil has a great impact on the environment in many different forms. The presence of oil has significant social and environmental impacts, from accidents and routine activities such as seismic exploration, drilling, and generation of polluting wastes not produced by other alternative energies. Crude oil and refined fuel spills from tanker ship accidents have damaged natural ecosystems in Alaska, the Galapagos Islands, France and many other places in Spain. The quantity of oil spilled during accidents has ranged from a few hundred tons to several hundred thousand tons and it has already proven to have a great impact on ecosystems. Oil spills at sea are generally much more damaging than those on land, since they can spread for hundreds of miles in a thin oil slick which can cover beaches with a thin coating of oil. This can kill sea birds, mammals, shellfish and other organisms it coats.  Control of oil spills is very difficult and requires much manpower.

 

 

Imported oil comprised 43% of the total US oil consumption in 1993. Since 1985, US net oil imports have risen at an average rate of over 7% annually. These facts indicate the prevailing US dependence on oil imports, which has adverse effects on the country's economy. The high level of oil imports results in increased trade deficit, low rate employment and GDP rates and high defense costs. The U.S. is the world's leading emitter of carbon dioxide—the principal source of global climate change.

 

The biggest share of our CO2 emissions, about 43 %, comes from the burning of oil. According to the latest Department of Energy projections, our petroleum-related CO2 emissions will rise by 41% between now and 2025, from approximately 2,500 to 3,530 million tons. If we continue to burn petroleum at this rate, it may soon be impossible to slow the pace of devastating climate changes. The US reliance on petroleum could be broken through a serious energy policy that focuses on transportation such as private automobiles, trucks and buses. More than 11 million of the estimated 17 million oil barrels of daily consumption in America are used up by vehicles. Alternative fuel sources exist in the form of methanol, natural gas and electric power. All have their advantages in terms of reduced pollution but carry disadvantages in terms of cost and effect on performance of vehicles. 

 

There is no question about the effects that oil has on our environment. Instead, there is a question about how we can conserve oil and increase protection of the environment.

 

 

 

 

 

This video shows how oil can affect the environment if released uncontrolled:

 

 

 

Harvey L. and Sven B. 12/16/07

 

Question 3:

 

 

 

Are there any viable energy alternatives?

 

 

 

 
 

The problem with energy alternatives is not that they are unavailable, unsophisticated, or too complex to replace the demand of oil. On the contrary, the real problem is that oil is still one of the cheapest and convenient sources of energy. Oil, in the form of gasoline, is obtainable at almost every corner at a gas station and the price is still affordable for the average consumer. Some alternative energy sources have already been developed and tested while others are already commercially available.

 

A possible solution to a potential future energy shortage would be to use some of the world's remaining fossil fuel reserves as an investment in renewable energy infrastructure such as wind power, solar power, tidal power, geothermal power, hydropower, methanol, ethanol, and biodiesel. Construction of sufficiently large renewable energy infrastructure might avoid the economic consequences of an extended period of decline in fossil fuel energy supply.

 

Advocates of a hydrogen economy believe that hydrogen could hold the key to ongoing energy demands. Relatively new technologies such as fuel cells can be used to efficiently harness the chemical energy stored in hydrogen. Nevertheless, there is no accessible natural reserve of hydrogen, since what little there is resides in Earth's outer atmosphere. Hydrogen for use as fuel must first be produced using another energy source; hydrogen would therefore actually be a means to transport energy, rather than an energy source, similar to a rechargeable battery. According to the majority of energy experts and researchers, hydrogen is currently impractical as an alternative to fossil-based liquid fuels. It is inefficient to produce, has low energy density, and is expensive to transport and convert back to electricity. Hydrogen gas tanks would need to be 2-3 times as large as standard gasoline tanks. Research on the feasibility of hydrogen as a fuel is still underway, and the outcome is uncertain.

 

GM has recently produced the Chevy Volt, a concept car that has the ability to use only electricity from a regular power outlet to drive up to 40 miles without any drop of gasoline or any other power source (www.chevy.com). Honda has created the FCX-Clarity, a vehicle that runs only on hydrogen. This car is evidence that the technologies to start a gas-free world are more than accessible. Honda will release his Hydrogen car in Summer 2008 to the Torrance are in California (http://automobiles.honda.com/fcx-clarity/owning/). Ultimately, future technology will increase its efficiency and more clean energy will be available to reduce oil consumption. According to Michael T. Clare, “Oil dependency threatens our freedom, safety, and moral values. Alternative fuels will be a gateway to a new and better world.”

 

 

 

 

BIO-Beetle        Chevy Volt         Honda FCX-Clarity

 

 

 
 
This link gives information about the latest headlines in alternative energy
 

 

This link can give you some information about BIO Diesel

http://www.alternative-energy-news.info/biodiesel-rental-cars/

 

 

Harvey L. and Sven B. 12/16/07

 

Question 4:

 

 

 

Is there a connection between oil and violence in the Middle East?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

To ensure a steady stream of oil, the U.S. has often been compelled to forge questionable alliances with unsavory foreign regimes, such as our shameful commitment to protect the Saudi royal family against all its potential enemies, foreign and domestic. These arrangements force us to grovel before foreign monarchs, providing them with arms and ammunition. The problem between oil and violence in the Middle East is that the money from oil could potentially be funding violence in the Middle East as well as terrorism around the world. Oil in the Middle East could be reason for conflict since every oil field will generate a considerable amount of money.

 

The first form of violence in the Middle East is violence that is caused by fighting for oil. By today’s rising oil prices, even a relatively small oil field can hold a great deal of money, which will unquestionably stir conflict. One of those examples was the first Gulf War in which Iraqi troops invaded the oil rich nation of Kuwait partly because Iraq was suspecting Kuwait of pumping oil from Iraq. Some argue that the reason the U.S. joined the two major recent Gulf Wars to ensure a stable oil supply.

 

Evidently, oil was the primary reason for the US invasion of Iraq, since other nations that have more weapons of mass destruction, such as North Korea, have not been invaded by the US. Some suspect that Osama Bin Laden and his terrorist organization, Al-Qaeda, to be partially funded by oil money. Although this seems logical, it is difficult to prove such statements.

 

If all of our foreign oil came from Britain, Canada, Norway, and other stable, predictably friendly nations, foreign oil dependence would not be a concern. However, most of the safe foreign suppliers are running out of oil. We are becoming increasingly reliant on less stable, often unfriendly suppliers, including Angola, Iraq, Kazakhstan, Nigeria, Russia, Saudi Arabia and Venezuela. These countries alone possess sufficient untapped supplies to satisfy our habit. However, if our desperation for oil does not discontinue soon, we may one day find ourselves in more trouble than we can handle.

 

 

 

This article explores the possiblity that the money for oil is funding terrorism. 

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/3625207.stm

 

 

Harvey L. and Sven B. 12/16/07

 

 

 

Sources:

  1. http://www.nationmaster.com/graph/ene_usa_per_per-energy-usage-per-person
  2. http://www.chevrolet.com/electriccar/
  3. http://automobiles.honda.com/fcx-clarity/owning/.honda.com/fcx-clarity/owning/">http://automobiles.honda.com/fcx-clarity/owning/.honda.com/fcx-clarity/owning/
  4. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/3625207.stm
  5. http://www.alternative-energy-news.info/biodiesel-rental-cars/
  6. http://www.alternative-energy-news.info/

 

 

 

 

 

 


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  • Recent comments:
    Mariam k.  Pia M.:Pia and I personally did really enjoy the pictures that you guys had. They are really funny and we, with no doubt, agree that foriegn oil is what Americans depend on the most. We really like the blog!! Nice job. :)
    Karina S Bianca S:Bianca S. As we have learned, many conflicts of the Middle East are caused by the United State's hunger for oil. However, one day, even if it is in hundreds of years, we will run out of this "black gold". It is frightening to imagine events leading up to that time. One possibility is that wars will occur to fight for control for the remaining oil. However, by then alternative energy sources will be much more economical than oil. It is hard to predict, but finally cutting off dependence on oil may end all of the violence.
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