should the us start walking more and save our oil and gas as revers?
337234
The answer to most of the US's problems is our dependency on oil.  Not only for automotive fuel but also for energy generation and heating.  We need to find cheaper and more efficient ways to handle these issues and soon.
1134938
Yes, though the definition of "we" is important here.  Oil, like any other resource, does not rightfully belong to a government.  Seeing how horrifically government wastes everything else, it's obvious that bureaucrats are the last people who ought to be in charge of a precious commodity.\nThe hysteria over "Big Oil" is a joke, albeit a dangerous one.  Get the government the feck out of businesses' business, and then we can talk realistically about energy options.\nhttp://www.perc.org/publications/articles/Crichtonspeech.php
72385
No. We're not walking sideways in the United States, right? :-)
958215
I was mad when the liberals wanted to block drilling for oil in Alaska during the beginning of George W. Bush's presidency, and now look at our dilemna!  I am very environmentally conscious and bike and walk when I can but I believe extremes will get us nowhere.  We have to look after our pocketbooks AND the environment.  There is a middle ground.  Show me a preservationist who doesn't drive and I will listen to him!
475568
I think that most Americans have stopped buying "unnecessary" fuel, but they are making more than enough money back off of just the necessary fuel (fuel that is needed for daily life, not all of us can walk to work/carpool)... if you have to have it, you have to have it... cuting consumption further isn't an option for most...\n\nSo what happens when capitiolism fails... seems like we are reaching that point with oil... increasing costs could have a crippling effect on our economy through inflation (especially if costs continue to go up)... is it worth it?\n\nThe reserves should have been released a while back... that's just silly, but that's also a Bush...
435914
There is a plan to tap the oil reserves in Alaska.  But I would ask you this... Do we really need more oil?  Why not find alternative energy sources?  What happens when all the oil runs out? (And it will).  Why do we have to ruin the pristine environment in Alaska with oil drilling and creating a pipeline that will ruin the habitat of many animals?\n\nBush is unfortunately a slave to big business and is not interested in "green" energy and moving the country away from oil, which is sad because we are ruining the earth's environment.  Whatever the Bush Administration says there is global warming and CO2 emissions, like those from cars, are in fact heating up the planet.  Hope you all have working bicycles because in the future with no oil that's what we will all be riding!
965674
The global economy is heading into a period called PEAK OIL. This means that we've reached the halfway point in terms of oil production. While there is still roughly 1 trillion barrels of oil left we will enter a period of declining returns. This means that once we reach the peak (nowish, 2010 at the longest) the world will pump out steadily less and less oil every year. This is catastrophic and will shake the foundations of our economy. We need approx 86million B of oil per day. This number gets higher and higher every year as the global economy expands, particularly with the white hot growth and demand from China and India. Pruduction will fall and demand will go up. Prices will skyrocket and there will be shortfalls as the gap widens between the oil available and demand for it. We have already seen the price of oil skyrocket from the low teens a few years back to close to 80. Its happening.\n\nWho will get the oil? The US reached their peak way back in 1970 and have steadily declined since. Now they are importing oil at increasing rates. They are aware of peak oil and need to secure sources for the future. They've done this by force. They are currently building massive military bases in the 2 best areas for oil reserves. (Approx 14 permanent massive bases in Iraq)The middle east, and Afghanistan which is on the doorstep of central asia where massive reserves are located. \n\nThis is why Iraq and Afghanistan were invaded. The US will be able to determine who gets whats left of the most valuable resource on the planet as oil reserves hit a steady decline. The rest is smoke and mirrors.\n\n-could the person that gave me a thumb down. Please post an intelligent rebuttal rather than a thumb down. I'm am shocked at how any educated person could have read what I wrote, then briefly pause in thought before clicking on 'thumb down?!?'
1056073
It is a real concern, but whenever someone makes a prediction about when a country of the world will reach peak oil output, they do so with what then is considered a researve.  As the cost of a barrel of oil increases, sources for oil that were once not considered a researve then become on because at that cost it is economically viable to recover it.  With the recent spike in oil prices, North America can now clasify the tar sands in Canada and the oil shales in Colorado oil researves, and that being the case, it is estimated that in the US alone, we now have more economically recoverable oil then Saudi Arabia, the worlds largest exporter.  As the price continues to increase, other marginal sources will become economically viable.  Sooner or later, we will reach a point where there simply isn't enough oil available for any price, but that is still a ways off yet.  I believe that before we reach that point, oil will be more expensive then alternate fuel sources.  Through simple economics, I believe that people will begin using these alternate fuels simply because they are less expensive.  I believe that the high cost of oil will spawn invention and inovation into the energy sector, and I believe that has already begun.  We are working on increasing production of biodiesels and ethenol, and there is increased research into fuel cells and electric autos.  I think the future lies in hydrogen burning technology personally.  We already have engines that burn Hydrogen, but we're still working on the fuel tank dilema.  So, for a long answer, I believe that there is and will be time. I'm looking foward to being put out of buisiness.
199680
We all need to be working on driving less and using more public transportation/walking/biking now before things become a problem.  It would be difficult, yes, but we need to keep looking for alternative sources of energy and utilizing them.  We also need to encourage the government to increase routes and kinds of public transportation.
309909
If we do, it will be chump change aimed at getting us off his back. \n\nFact remains - Bush has ties to the Oil Industry. He isnt going to bite the hand that has fed him. He will talk a big game, but in the end, there will be no change.\n\nAlthough I am upset with the prices, I also must add that we do live in a capitalist society. The companies can charge whatever they want to charge us for gas, and the govt shouldnt be allowed to tell them to charge otherwise. This infringes on the rights of the companies under the free law of capitalism. IT IS OUR FIGHT TO FIGHT! We dont need to by gas from them if they are going to charge ridiculous prices. I understand that not everybody can take Pub Trans, but we can do our part to conserve gas and boycott companies. As a group (consumers) we need to organize and protest/boycott the companies that are raping our wallets. We cant expect the Govt to do a damn thing about it - they are in on it! Dont think for a moment that your (cuz he aint mine! I didnt vote for him!) President isnt getting rich from the price of oil right now too.....
424640
First, we'll start running out of it.  Prices will go up.  It will be more expensive to drive, and everything will cost more because it takes gas to ship stuff everywhere.  Airplane travel will skyrocket in price because planes use so much gas.\n\nSecond, there will probably be more wars over oil in the Middle East.  Saudi Arabia has so much oil- it seems like a likely target, either through inciting a civil war or from the outside.  The US will probably be involved in whatever war starts, because we need so much oil here and we have such a big military- we feel like we can take what we need without caring about the people who actually die for it.  China may also be involved in some of this conflict, for similar reasons- big military, huge oil consumption.\n\nThird, people's lives will start to change.  If oil is used up, people may start actually using the altnerative technologies we have available- wind, solar, natural gas, and coming up with cheap ways to spread it around.  More hybrid cars, windmills, solar panels, but maybe a new system to dispense natural gas nationwide at gas stations, if that ends up powering our cars.\n\nFourth, eventually the environmental costs of all our oil consumption will start to catch up to us.  Global warming is already a problem: warming means ice melting, and when the polar caps melt the oceans will rise.  Coastlands will be submerged gradually, first with little islands vanishing(already happening) and then with flooding in coastal wetlands and places like Venice (also already happening).  Despite all this extra water around, it's going to be salty water.  Warming also means droughts and desertification as temperatures rise in tropical regions, especially.  Lots of people will die in sub-Saharan Africa because of a lack of clean drinking water (also already happening).  Fertile land will diminish worldwide, and more people will die from starvation than do already.\n\nThe next wars won't be fought over oil, they'll be fought over water.  Look at the American southwest, and the controversy over the Colorado River/ LA and you'll get an idea of how much water rights mean already.  Dams and river diversion will cause international incidents, and we'll have to make some fast advances in desalinization technology if we want to fight back against these rising tides.\n\nIt's not hopeless, just really, really difficult.  And it gets harder the longer we wait to do something about it- so start today and try to conserve oil.
358134
Although there's a lot of oil left in the world, and we agree that there's roughly 900 to 1,000 gigabarrels of oil left in the world, you need to put that in context. Up until the Carter years, every decade, we used as much oil as had been used in all of previous history. Now, with exponential growth, if you're at about a 7 percent growth rate, and we were using oil at about 7 percent more per year, the world was, that explains how we got on that curve. Now, the fact that we have about half of all the oil that was ever in the world still there, doesn't mean that the next 50 years, 100 years are going to be like the last 50 years, 100 years, because the world is now demanding a whole lot more oil. Last year, China increased their use probably 25 percent. In less than three years, that doubles their use of oil. They probably won't continue on that growth path, but India's increasing. China's now the No. 2 importer in the world. What are the consequences of this? Boy, economic and geopolitical. When the world recognizes that there's only so much oil that can be produced, and we need more oil -- by the way, if our economy doesn't grow at least 2 percent a year, we can't service our debt. And if we don't think the economy's growing at 2 percent a year, the stock market starts tanking. You know, we have to get used to the fact that there is not going to be oil in the quantities there have been in the past available in the future, and we should have started a long time ago, 'cause we knew -- the world knew -- by at least 1980, that M. King Hubbert was right about our country. If he's right about the United States, why shouldn't he be right about the world? And we should have been doing some things that we've now blown 25 years, that we could have been doing some very meaningful things to prepare for this time when the world reaches its peak ability to produce oil. We didn't do those things then. We really need to start doing them now.
529918
I think it'd be a great idea.  We need to relinquish ourselves as a country from the idea that we need to depend so heavily on foreign oil
540628
It wouldn't help the snvironment now would it?\n\nTo the best of my knowledge, none of the oil that goes through that ugly pipeline goes to the US anway! Doesn't it all go to Japan?\n\nWe need a few more Exxon Valdez dumps in Alaska. It's so good for all those animals up there.
534849
Probably alternative fuels.  It would be nice to spend some research and get some other sources to diversify risk.  Right now, if the Middle East embargoes oil, we would be sunk.  If we had other sources, it wouldn't be as big of a deal.
1107645
Quite simply NO that is not true.  There is plenty of oil and gas left.  Enough to last your lifetime and probably most of your kids lifetime.  However, the rate at which countries like China and India and other emerging economies are growing there is going to a strain on current levels of production.  This is why there is a huge amount of activity in the exploration and drilling sector right now, we see this future demand and are working to compensate.  However there are countries like the USA and Britian that consume much more than they produce, and the majority of their fields are depleted or on the down hill slope.  This is why they must forge alliances, you didn't think they fight these wars just in the name of freedom, but that's another question.  This is also why Bush has given the go ahead to drill in Alaska.  We know where almost all the oil and gas is, now it's just a matter of getting it out of the ground.  But we don't want to flood the market, because then everyone will think they can use as much as they want.  Then there is the politics, pipelines,environment,etc.  It's a delicate balance.  Any way, Saudi Arabia is the largest producer of hydrocarbons and still has the largest reserves.  Canada has the second largest reserves, but it is hard to produce because it is mostly tar sands.  Iran is third(friendly with China), Kuwait is fourth, Iraq is fifth(soon to be friendly with USA) others among top ten Nigeria, Venesuala, and others I remember off the top of my head.  In the future alternative fuels will have to be researched and put into common use.  Some of these we see already, such as hybrid cars, fuel cells, corn oil,processed fish fat can burn in diesel engines.  Nuclear fuel will be used for everyday power, solar power is not practical, takes up to much room, wind power is only practical on a small scale, and they need to be where it's windy, and since you lose power when it travels down lines, only windy places can utilize wind turbines.  My personal favorite is hyrogen power.  Although to volitile with current technology, it is abundant, powerful, and emission free.  By product is pure water.  All these will come to be as future governments covet what's left of the natural resources and we think about the environment a little more.  But there will be oil and gas to heat your homes and run your cars for many years to come.  So long as you got the money to fill the tank.
326194
Yes we are in a crises! And if something is not done it is only going to get worse. I don't know exactly what needs to be done but Americans need to make a stand against this and say enough is enough. It is all over the news, on the net, talk shows and so on. That suggests to me that something is wrong. I don't know what Americans are going to do. The price of everything has went up and continues to go up. And we are not getting any cost of living increases either. The rich are getting richer and the poor are getting poorer. And no help from the government because they are some of those getting richer over the oil. When Exxon goes above Wal-mart we have a problem.