So, apparently, we as a species are facing the end of an age that has defined our time on earth, perhaps more than any previous period of time. We are on the precipice of the end of oil. Within the big picture of the entire history of the universe, our love/hate relationship with the age of oil will be merely a blip in the continuum. We will find ourselves on the other side either living more as we did 200 years ago, or thriving in a new age of technological innovation and global enlightenment. I’m hopeful for the latter.
I’m confident that we, as the dominant species of this relatively small rock, can and will overcome greed, hunger for power, and lack of foresight to unite in a common goal to explore for and harness new sources for energy.
The dialog is presently at a fever pitch. The question I would put forward is this: Why didn’t this dialog, once begun, continue on to its conclusion over 30 years ago during the energy crisis? The cynical answer is obvious: Big Oil wasn’t prepared to take control of whatever new technology or resources might emerge, and thus, began the process of squelching and/or buying up these new technologies and resources as they emerged (“Who Killed the Electric Car?) Another explanation might be that we, as consumers, weren’t ready or eager to make the necessary sacrifices that such a large-scale shift in life-style and perspective would require.
In any case, here we are. Myriad possible energy sources are being investigated, and, over time, the most feasible and effective will filter out and vie for the position of successor to oil. I’m betting on solar, though I think the final solution will be a combination of several energy sources and technologies. So, it is now incumbent upon me to become more educated about these energy sources and technologies and how they will impact the spaces where we live and work, and then to subsequently share the knowledge.
Dana W. Ball
No comments:
Post a Comment