<Posted by Raoul (213.224.83.102) on 12/1/2001 2:08:22 PM

In Reply to: I think some people fail to realize the importance of oil. posted by Justin Kelly on 12/1/2001 11:25:10 AM

This is why it's vital to reduce our dependency on one source of energy. It's tempting because the more oil there is, the cheaper it gets. But it won't last. Something else will have to come up. It doesn't mean necessarily another source of energy but it can also mean saving energy, using it more efficiently.



all of this happens when it is economically feasible. when it si economically feasible to go with other ebergy sources, we will go with them, when it is economically feasible to conserve things will be conserved (and this is indeed what is happening, conservation of energy is big bussness). The invisible hand is alive and well.

when oil becomes scarce then we will move to alternative energy sources, if we get in a prolonged war where our oil is serverely tied up then people will definitly go to other energy sources. If oil gets scarece ther will be plenty investment into other energy sources as well. Right now, with all things considered, it is the best path, so we are taking it.

In the 70's, Japan was a big economical power, without the slightest source of oil in their ground. Everything had to be imported and they thrived, even though other oil exporters were still no democracies and had and still have very poor populations.

In the 40s when things went crunch in WW2 the lack of oil really screwed Japan over too. I think thery were resorting to a methonal for their fighter aircraft by the end of it.

-Justin Kelly