The Last Drop of Oil

When the topic of the depletion of oil comes up the average consumer thinks about how it will affect them such as their motor vehicle, lawn mower, and recreational pieces of equipment that operate on gasoline. While this is a cause of concern for most everybody, there are many who will also have to concern themselves as to how to make a living because they previously held oil jobs such as drilling for oil. There are also people who are in the oiland gas jobs industry, such as refineries, gas stations, and truck drivers who haul gas and oil from the supplier to the place of retail trade.

There currently are alternatives to equipment that uses fossil fuels in order to operate. Biodiesel utilizes the oil from plants and gasohol is a fuel that comes from corn. Therefore, people who are in oiland gas jobs may still be able to keep in their line of work but may have to undergo additional training. On the other hand, people who work in the oil jobs industry including drillers and pipeline workers may have to make a major career change. The United States government currently assists dislocated workers for whatever reason including individuals who have lost their jobs because their position is now obsolete. However, there may be a problem for many countries whose main gross domestic product is crude oil; especially countries whose regions are primarily desert.

Some economists theorize that oil-producing countries may start drastically cutting crude oil supplies, driving the price of crude oil higher. The countries may then extra revenue in other commodities such as precious metals, stocks in certain companies, real estate, and other carefully selected areas. On the consumer side, as the supply of oil diminishes, many countries will start buying extra oil and store it, reserving it for national emergency use.

Because the idea exists that the world’s population may see the last of fossil fuel and the fact that burning it is not good for the environment, several countries are investing heavily into researching alternative sources of energy. The two most popular alternative energy sources that most people think of are solar power and wind turbines. In addition, there is some considerable research being conducted utilizing waterpower, especially from the tides of the oceans in coastal areas.

While modern society is working towards its dependence upon fossil fuels many new automobiles available in most countries uses flex fuel, which is 85 percent corn-made ethanol. This blend of fuel saves the consumer money as it sells between one to one and a half dollars cheaper than regular gasoline. In addition, many larger pieces of equipment such as farm equipment and trucks that haul consumer goods are now operating on biodiesel fuel.

Ultimately, in order to get away from equipment that utilizes internal combustion in favor of energy use that is more environmentally friendly, there is going to be a major revolution in businesses that manufacture these products. This is likely to cost trillions of dollars on a global basis. Most likely, governments will have to help companies financially as they make the transitions. However, there will most likely be a significant contribution from the private sector.

Finally, society will have to replace petroleum-based plastics. China was the first major country to do this as they outlawed the manufacture and use of plastic shopping bags. Many stores in the United States offer cloth canvas shopping bags for sale that consumers may reuse every time they go grocery shopping. Some stores even encourage the use of these bags as they charge consumers extra for plastic or paper shopping bags.

The transition from using petroleum products to environmental friendlier products is going to mean a substantial cost for most people. However, by doing so we will leave less of a footprint on the earth and creating an environment that is healthier for people and other forms of life. We simply must make the necessary sacrifices as the day approaches when the world runs out of petroleum-based oil.