Black Gold: A useful pollutant is nearing its grave
              (by Anthony-George D'Andrea)

Oil: A word understood by every country in the world as something that carries great value. With oil comes a strong economy; with oil, transportation is relatively cheap; with oil, life is easy. This black gold has proven to be one of the most valuable commodities in the world. It pumps through the earth as blood flows through our veins; however, it is quickly being withdrawn from the earth with no chance of returning. Are there alternatives to oil? Of course there are, however, they are not as versatile as this golden liquid.

The end of the supply of oil would mean less global warming and no oil spills to harm the environment; however, oil has become a household name and is used across the globe to great degrees. A main lead in a play is an integral part of the production; on the global stage, oil plays a vital role. When the great thespian disappears, the show must go on, but what will there be to take oil’s place when it gives its last performance?

Oil is our best friend and our worst enemy. Crude oil itself is not very useful until it is further refined. Once this is done, gasoline, petroleum gas, naphtha, ethane, and kerosene come to form; however, crude oil is not only useful as fuel. It is also responsible for asphalt, perfumes and insecticides. Ethane and naphtha are used in the production of petrochemicals, which in turn can lead to the creation of many plastics, detergents, chemical fertilizers and synthetic rubbers. It is clear that oil is much more than fuel in your car.

Despite its great versatility, oil is responsible for two major environmental crises; global warming and oil spills. The burning of oil sends large amounts of toxins into the atmosphere, creating unclean air, smog, and most importantly a vulnerable ozone layer that allows the sun’s powerful rays to reach earth with a much more dangerous impact. The spill of an oil tanker can create havoc for animal life that depends upon the now-polluted water as a home or a place to feed. The truth is that the oil supply will eventually end, dissolving both advantages and disadvantages, and creating the question of what will replace this versatile fossil fuel as a new form of energy.

Many observers of oil usage in the world have once forecasted prices and predicted usage of the liquid gold. The American Department of Energy forecasted that oil would be almost $250 a barrel in the year 2000, while the oil powerhouse Exxon predicted the oil at $100. Regardless of the fact that these numbers aren’t anywhere close to the oil prices of 2000, which fell around the $30 a barrel mark, it cannot be denied that since 2000, the prices of oil have been increasing. Looking at the situation logically, the only direction the price of oil can go is up. The value of an item usually increases when it becomes rare or scarce.

The eventual depletion of oil has also been predicted. Some critics claim that we are currently at the half way mark of oil depletion, while others believe that that mark is still decades away. The common prediction, however, is that we will reach the halfway mark of oil depletion - it’s ‘peak’ - between the years 2015 and 2030. To use the term ‘peak’ is quite generous considering oil was at it’s true peak when it was untouched and ever since the human race began extracting it from the layers of the earth, it has been in a steady decline. Some greatly fear the day when oil runs out, while others believe that the disappearance of oil will benefit the environment, and it is only a matter of time before we find some other alternative.

What are we to do when oil runs out? There are three main alternatives: coal, nuclear power, and renewable fuels. After the death of oil, coal, the dominant source of energy before oil came onto the scene, will be present in insurmountable heaps. The problem with coal, however, is that it creates large amounts of carbon and sulphur dioxide, which would contribute to an already suffering environment.

The use of nuclear power wouldn’t contribute to global warming. The problem with nuclear power is that there have been three noteworthy accidents, the most significant being the Chernobyl incident of 1986.

Renewable resources provide a ray of light on an oil-less world. Hydro-electric, solar, and wind power provide some promise for a future without oil and are all valid options; however, even these resources are not as easy to transport, and are not as dense or valuable as oil when it comes to creating things such as plastics, pesticides, or other petrochemicals. Also, the cost of a solar powered vehicle is not nearly as inexpensive as its oil counterpart.

After many debates and arguments about the liquid black gold, not one person can disagree with the fact that eventually we will run out. While there are those that look forward to a world without intense global warming and the increased potential for environmental disasters, others aren’t as pleased to see the relatively cheap and extremely versatile form of energy disappear. There are alternatives to oil and the chances of the world going into complete disarray after its disappearance are slim, but it is clear that no other option is as multitalented as oil. It will take time to adapt to the new source of energy, so the next time you pump gas into your car, be aware that what you are burning is far more valuable than what you paid.

Sources

Porter, Adam. “Is the world’s oil running out fast?” BBC News. 7 June 2004. 30 Jan. 2005. <http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/3777413.stm>.

Kirby, Alex. “Alternatives to oil.” BBC News. 8 Sep. 2000. 30 Jan 2005. <http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/916492.stm>.

Mark, Jason. “Lights Out! The End of the Oil Age.” Alert Net. 14 Apr. 2004. 30 Jan 2005. <http://www.alternet.org/story/18421>.

“Will the oil run out?” The Economist. 8 Feb. 2001. 30 Jan. 2005. <http://www.economist.com/displayStory.cfm?Story_id=497454>.

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