Thread: We've Lit Up the Earth

Hey guys, check out the picture in the link below.

http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/New...lights_lrg.jpg

Basically this is how lit up the world is, i think its pretty amazing that we have come so far as to light up this much of the world. Of course, it cannot last forever. This brings me onto the next topic which relates to this, oil. Oil is due to deplete in around 40-45 years time if we consume the same level that we do now, but it is obvious that with population growth that the deadline will become a lot closer. Though many people will think that the government will have a backup plan, or green energy will save us, you are in fact wrong to a degree. We are due for some scary changes in fact.

Sure, green energy will dampen the effects of oil depletion, but it will not completely solve our problems. Just put into your mind how much we rely on oil, not just for fuel, but for plastic. Oil is a requirement to make plastic, and how much are we dependant on plastic? Its in most technology, its on the packaging of foods and much much more. Plastic is a big part of our lives though we may not realize it, and when oil depletes, we will lose our source of plastic production. And then again, we can only recycle plastic so many times.

I can imagine that the picture in the above link in 50 or so years will look much much different, darker, colder and less active.

What are your thoughts?

The earth will not be running out of oil anytime soon at all. That's a load of propaganda used by the arabs to spike prices.

No, the world is not running out. We just can't quite get to the oil.

All of Quebec's electricity is hydroelectric .

This same picture is in my Geography book at school. It's amazing.

Originally Posted by Spartiate

All of Quebec's electricity is hydroelectric .

Here in VT, we get most of our electricity from you guys actually. We also have a nuclear plant down south called Vermont Yankee. Vermonters are completely independent of oil as far as electricity is concerned.

Originally Posted by Xaqaria

Here in VT, we get most of our electricity from you guys actually. We also have a nuclear plant down south called Vermont Yankee. Vermonters are completely independent of oil as far as electricity is concerned.

Yeah, we make waaay more electricity than we need, most of it is sold to the north-eastern states.

i have to agree that the supposed crisis of fossil fuels is rather exaggerated. Go back 50 years or more and you will many politicians and scientists exclaiming " We shall be out of coal in the next 10 years" or " By 1990 the worlds Oil supply will be depleted" etc etc.

Basically as old oil fields are found more are discovered, we mine deeper, we extract more efficiently, etc. I mean checks on Antarctica's supply of our fossil fuels is in it's infancy. I'm pretty sure we will find coal, oil and gas in rich supply, don't forget it to was part of Pangaea and it hasn't been touched by us yet. Also don't forget all the sediment that is still laying underneath the Oceans, some areas of Ocean are likely to be very rich in natural gas( take the Bermuda Triangle for example, it's richness in methane is the main theory for the many loses of ships in it's area) and other resources laid down when those seas non-existent.

However obviously there is a limit, i would suggest no matter what the govenment say to boost taxes and profits in fossil fuels. We have a big enoguh supply to last 100 years if not more.

By then of course i do no doubt we will go more nuclear. England already has multiple nuclear power stations and is planning to build more. When( i do not believe it is a matter of if?) we successfully crack nuclear fusion then other energy needs will in all essence be solved as we will have created artificial suns, hydrogen and helium are plentiful, i believe i am correct in saying they are elements involved in fusion.

I think that what most people forget is that this is a constant cycle, like evolution. It doesn't all of the sudden happen, but as long as organic material is decomposing, it's being compressed into coal and petrol.

But many of you seem to ignore the fact that once oil goes, so does plastic. I'm not saying that there will just be no oil. There will be oil, but it will be very expensive due to limited supply. Oh, and one more thing, the depletion timer is based on the amount left as well as many other variables. I have done my research, many of you are proving my point that you think that it will be one easy transition. Yeah, maybe we'll have nuclear power, but what about all the materials we won't be able to provide ourselves with, as i said, plastic is very important, and without it we will lose many things.

Oh and Seis, i know how it works, but you seem to be forgetting that it takes millions of years for it to be converted into oil. BUT just to inform, i know many people say, yeah it'll end in 10 years or what not, but i researched my facts and they are fairly accurate figures. I sometimes get the impression that people are very evasive of what will happen. Sure, were living in our comforts now, but it will be a big shock when it does happen to a lot of you who assume that everything will be okay.

I may sound a bit extreme, but i'm thinking realisticly based on facts and evidence provided. Yes, oil will not completely deplete, but what is left will be too expensive to afford. You can't just drift through life thinking, oh, its not my problem, because IT IS, we are all contributers and it is up to us to help make things better for future generations. Stop being so selfish and think of others for once, because its more than likely that your children will have to make up for our selfish attitude. I know it doesn't apply to all, but i thought i'd get it out there for the sake of those who are selfish.

Spart - I didn't know that I must admit, thats pretty darn cool! Good for Quebec.