Depleting oil resources and fossile fuels but increase in higher standards of lifestyle products. "more" is been common key word in human language. To satisfy this quest for "more" means have been devised many of which are not in harmonies with Nature.
211188
no, for those who dont care and only want more, nothing change them,
628611
Hardly. Methane, ethanol (not yet for cars but already viable for power plants), vegetable oil etc.  If we really had to stop burning fossil fuel, the current service stations could distribute the new fuel.  One of the problems with bringing out alternate fuels is that in order to 'compete' with gasoline, it has to be reasonably available to people driving across the country.  Distribution is a tough issue for some of the products.
464828
We might be.  True, technologies have enabled the human race to rise above other species.  But at what cost?  Think about how much damage to the environment has been done- people cutting down trees and destroying habitats to make room for factories, for instance.  Or the pollution resulting from all this- manufacturers pumping their waste into our waterways or belching smoke from their chimneys, to name a few.  But, we could use this smartness to our advantage- finding ways of having this technology without the downsides.
616858
actually..this is quite generic stuff but since im a student in the field there's some help i can giv\n\nSociety in general is a part of the natural environmnt. Hence for it to survive it neds to protect and nurture it other wise its own existence may be in nature. The international community has taken not of this already and has brought the 'KYOTO PROTOCOL' into the picture. This a decleration by concerned signatory countries to take steps neccessary to control the rapid depletion of environmental resources.\nThe main problem with the 'role of society ....' is that although society as a whole disapproves of the any harm to the environment people are not ready to come together as a body as yet. \nFor staters there MUST be a massive awareness campaign against this pheneomeneon. This can be brought about by bringing the world media into the picture. Society as a whole must adopt GUIDELINES to ensure enviromental protection.\nthis includes:\n1 Steps to be taken aginst people who abuse the environment.\n2 Steps to be taken to promote the research eco friendly alternatives to available energy resources\n3 To stop the rapid depletion of flora and fauna throughout the world.\nCurrently about 400 species of plants are wiped out every year. A few dozen animal species become extinct. And society, by representing people power can actively put a stop to this.
617467
apresocratic,\nRawk on, man!  I want what you're on...\n\nAdrian,\nYes, there are barriers in the U.S. government that are slowing the transition down.  However, keep in mind that big Oil companies are actually evolving into big Energy companies, buying into whatever will lead our future markets.  Everyone knows Oil is a time bomb waiting to go off and die out.  There's no reason not to encourage alternative fuel sources.\n\nAt the same time, we'll never be 100% off of foreign oil before it's gone, but that doesn't mean we can't get consumption down to a respectable number so that fluctuations in price stop having an immediate impact on our economy.
34860
How about we just stop driving cars that give less than 20 miles/gallon? That will accomplish just as much as alternative energy and it's probably easier. \n\n\nBy the way, can you guess the 5 countries that we get most of our oil from?\n\nWould you have guessed Canada, Mexico, Venezuela, and Nigeria are 4 of the top 5? Saudi Arabia is the only Middle Eastern country in the 5 (at #3).\n\nThat last comment is exactly why it can't happen. People aren't willing to sacrifice the looks of a car in order to lessen our dependence on oil. Everyone wants someone else to solve their problems instead of doing something about it themselves. Typical.
312095
WELL, the global market demand for oil, our lack of exploration and new refineries, very little competition with\njust six major oil co's, letting the envormentalists influence the drilling of oil in a negative way, and finally the oil companies past history of putting the smaller producers out of business.
565017
The thing is the oil compagnies don't want to lose money so they brainwash people into thinking the alternative isn't any good.\nMeanwhile the others are  powerless.\n(The Oil compagnies are more powerful than the latter)
572749
There is no agreement on how much oil there is. Therefore, 'peak oil' is a meaningless concept.  Besides, the US media is only interested in attacking their political opponents.  They couldn't care less about facts.
67003
The United States uses 30 times the natural resources per person than most of the rest of the world.  These all use up energy which we buy from the mid-east and from Bush's friends.  They control our lives because of this.  Use less and we gain more control.  Consumption feeds business but ultimately leads to loss of real power and control.
76408
That depends on how you are using it.  You could use it to imply that you are talking about one of the earth's ecosystems.  Or, you could be talking about your immediate surroundings.  I would go so far as to describe social climate.  It could also mean current mental state.  That's all I can honestly think of.
352928
It's a bit difficult because your first sentence is ambiguous. At present it reads as "all of the two claims" relate back to what you said in a previous paragraph. I get the impression, though, that your "two claims" are the ones you make beneath, regarting humanism and naturalism? I have assumed this in my redrafting. I have also taken the liberty of reorganising your arguments a bit and add a sentence at the bottom.  \n\nI would like to make two claims, both of which may seem extreme, but which in fact seek to keep the world from going to devastating extremes. We have forgotten essential things. We are in constant pursuit of economic and technological progress without properly considering human development. For instance, computer technology, which may seem human and can be adapted to emulate human behaviour, is anything but. \n\nAlso, we should put nature above most other things, because we ourselves derive from nature. Loving nature and earth is like loving your parents, and I fervently hope earth will not be ruined by so-called "progress". People like to say that the world is developing, but they should perhaps stop to think about the true meaning of the word development. \n\nThus, true development is the one that takes as its beginning and its end our humanism, and places this humanism in the context of the fate of nature and earth.
538184
I agree with the unique Earth bit. But the Sun is an average star in terms of heat and size, very mainstream. Western society, with its reliance on consumerism, is a drain on society, and is influencing developing countries to compete and produce these goods very cheaply, leading to increased pollution and reliance on fossil fuels. As to the long term survival of society, who knows. It seems that governments throughout the world are waiting for it to be too late before doing anything and then blaming other people.
477064
Yes. Consider "oil supply" or "Oil reserves" if appropriate.\n\ncc
368893
Can you give an example like : "For example, the use of corn and soybeans as a gasoline additive shows promise for reducing fossil fuels which will make the country safer and cleaner."
233382
You are right.  Because we have comparatively lower costs for oil, and because all these taxes are something which seem hidden and don't hit us all at once in our paychecks, and because we have a good quality of life overall compared to most other countries, we are not a nation that values or sees the need to conserve, reduce, reuse, and recycle.  \n\nAnd you are right again: one side has better x; the other side has better y.  Overall I think Americans need to be more globally aware, realize that oil is a finite natural resource and that when it runs out, it runs out.  I believe if people really cared about the environment and about the quality of life for generations to come, they'd change their behavior.  But humans are pleasure-seeking animals, and a change of behavior is hard to do if we don't see a need or any scarcity.  \n\nThanks for the question.  There are many sides, many facets to this.\n\nCheers, K
65560
Big Oil is a real power in our government and economy. Nothing paranoid about it, just a simple reality. (It's why we have weird little wars in weird little oil-rich countries.) Major petroleum companies aren't villians, nor are they heroes. But they are very influential, and they don't care for competition. Big Oil looks after its own best interests.