The passing of gas
Sustainable energy leads to sustainable profits
Meesa Chungfat, The Peak (Simon Fraser University)
BURNABY, B.C. (CUP) — Every time I pass the gas station, the prices go higher and I just laugh. I don’t know how else to react anymore.
Scientists and advocacy groups have warned politicians, industry officials and citizens time and time again about the dangers of their dependency on unsustainable oil reserves. It is fundamentally illogical to develop societies that depend on a finite resource.
Why the high prices? On the most basic level, it has to do with supply and demand. When there is a limited supply of something, prices go up. Right now, we are near the point of peak oil.
The Post Carbon Institute has estimated that within three years, the global oil supply will reach its peak. After that’s reached, the oil supply will go down, so don’t expect gas prices come down anytime soon.
Many news stories that cover high prices do not mention that the oil supply is finite and that the global supply is about to reach its peak. As a result, many people just complain and, as one Vancouverite mentioned on CTV, think that the prices are going up for no reason.
Many people, until now, have not taken the consequences of oil dependency seriously. Think about how many things in industry, trade and our daily lives require oil. It is not hard to see now, as the prices for ferries and plane tickets go up.
And of course, how could wars and conflict not be mentioned in the hunt for oil? The cost of oil is certainly more than merely the price. The number of people killed and the damage done to ecosystems in the fight over this finite resource are costs that are not accounted for in the price at the pump.
These consequences are merely externalities that are not relevant in the dominant economic system.
While hundreds of thousands of innocent people in Sudan have been killed by the government-backed Arab janjaweed militia, Chinese labourers in the oil regions are protected. Sudan is China’s largest overseas oil project, which of course is what led them to reject the UN proposal for oil sanctions in Sudan.
And of course the war in Iraq is self-explanatory. How much did oil from Iraq cost? Over a hundred thousand innocent Iraqis, over 1,200 dead American soldiers, and billions of dollars for American public relations campaigns claiming it is all for the spread of democracy, freedom and the fight against terrorism.
But there are alternatives, and they must be implemented and developed quickly if we are going to effectively adjust to the big changes that will occur once oil production passes the top of the bell curve.
They may not be profitable at the moment, but demand will be going up as gas prices go up.
Josh Tickell is the inventor of the Veggie Van and the Veggie Car. His first experiment began with his curiosity to see if he could drive across America running only on veggie oil. And he did. Many “veggie” cars and vans have been built since then.
Using bio-diesel fuel reduces carbon dioxide emissions by 78 per cent compared to petroleum and it releases virtually no sulfur oxides and sulfates, which are major components of acid rain and contribute to global warming. No major engine modifications are necessary. So after you fry your fries, you can stick the oil in your engine and drive off.
There have been more advertisements over the past summer for hybrid vehicles. Hybrids run on a mix of gas and electricity, which can save you a lot on your gas bill. Or you can get the hot-looking Smart Car, which runs on diesel and consumes 4.6 L/100 km on the highway. Compare that with the Ford F-150, which uses 19.4 L /100 km in the city.
How hard is it for political powers and the industry to understand that sustainable energy leads to sustainable profits? Germany has great investments in wind power, and its regulation of GMOs and sustainable agriculture has been very profitable.
Politicians at every level of government urgently need to think about how they are going to deal with the passing of gas. We need to pressure our MPs for more sustainable alternative fuel investments because not only will it be cheaper, but it’s also a move towards a healthier environment.
Building bigger highways and invading countries is not going to increase our oil supply. Investing in alternative fuel sources and transit systems will create a society that would not only have sustainable profits, but would save future societies from the hassle of having to deal with environmental crises.
People say individual actions do not have a huge impact. Look at all of the consequences that have resulted from individuals driving cars and consuming plastic products. Collectively, it adds up. So we need to move fast and we need to do it now.
