Energy Crisis
Oil is a natural resource that has four general applications. We burn it to propel our vehicles and planes. We burn it to make heat and electricity. We apply it to lubricate. We incorporate it in the manufacturing of plastics and other products.
At present, 90% of the oil we use is burnt for propulsion, heat, and electricity. Only 10% is used to lubricate and in manufacturing. Burning most of the oil we use is especially troublesome because it is not a renewable resource. For the sake of future generations, something must be done now to move away from oil as a source of energy.
Before we continue this analysis, two comments are necessary.
Some people say we must not convert oil into energy because doing so pollutes the environment and is the chief cause of global warming (or cooling). However, advances in pollution control answers this argument.
Though the problem with emissions and environmental impact is certainly still a concern, there are even more important reasons why we must move away from oil as a primary source of propulsion, heat, and electricity. Conservation for the future is one. The other will be addressed shortly.
The world is fast becoming industrialized. The biggest polluters are Third World countries that have not made the effort to minimize air and water pollution. America has made great advances in minimizing its impact on the environment. Other countries need to do the same, and it should not be up to America to do it for them.
It is time to stop bashing and blaming America. When speaking out, we need to direct our complaints to the United Nations and its violating member nations.