The Myth of the Oil Crisis by Robin M. Mills

There are some things most people today know about oil.

* Global oil output is going to plummet * Prices are going to rise forever * The transition to alternative energy will be long and painful * There will be more "oil wars" and industrial civilization may collapse * Oil and gas will cause catastrophic climate change

The problem is that these ideas are wrong. Oil "ran out" first in 1885, and perhaps another five times since then. Every time, new finds, new technologies and changes in oil use confounded the pessimists.

Oil prices above $140 per barrel seem to encourage the growing belief that we are approaching "peak oil" and that supply cannot increase any more. But what has changed since 1998 when oil cost $10 a barrel? Just that a long period of under-investment in new energy supplies collided with rapid growth in Asia (and, easily forgotten, the USA). It takes years to turn the energy super-tanker around, to develop new oil fields, even though there is plenty in the ground.

There is a real debate over how much oil the world holds. But ideas of a vast conspiracy involving some mix of OPEC, the US government and "Big Oil" to exaggerate oil reserves are fantasy. Official figures are, if anything, somewhat under-stated, and, as recent massive finds in deep water offshore Brazil show, new exploration frontiers still exist. Out-dated environmental moratoria in the USA could be lifted to yield more domestic hydrocarbons. New technologies continue to wring more out of old fields. Most importantly, "unconventional" oil sources hold many times the volumes of conventional oil - from the famous Albertan "oil sands", to fuels from natural gas, coal and plants, to "cooking" oil out of shales that hold trillions of barrels in the USA alone.

So there is no need to fight "resource wars" to "secure" oil. Invading oil-rich countries is vastly expensive and makes oil supplies less, not more, secure. The Middle East is a growing part of the world economy, not a nest of terrorists, desperate to cut off oil supplies in order to bankrupt themselves and invite vengeance. Propping up dictators in return for energy "favours' is not a valid long-term strategy either. The West, China, India and the oil exporters will gain far more from co-operating on energy, than following the mirage of "energy independence".

Should "we" invest massively to move to a renewable energy system? Well, we already are -- $100 billion in 2006 alone, and not only in the West, but in China, India, Brazil and other rising powers. It's hard to grow renewable energy any faster. Renewables are clearly a key part of powering the future, and of fighting global warming, but oil (and gas, and coal) are going to be the main sources of energy for decades to come. Capturing the carbon dioxide from fossil fuels, and storing it underground, is entirely practical and should be a major part of climate change policy. Renewable energy and hydrocarbons are not enemies -- we need to use them both.

So the "end of oil" is not imminent -- neither is the collapse of industrial civilization. Even if oil supplies started declining, we could fill the gap with improved efficiency and new energy sources. It's neither necessary nor desirable for us to go back to some "Year Zero" of pre-modern society. Oil will never "run out"; it will be replaced, probably decades hence, by something better. That is the best and most positive reply to fears about the "end of oil".

©2008 Robin M. Mills

Author Bio Robin M. Mills is an oil industry professional with a background in both geology and economics. Currently, he is Senior Evaluation Manager for Dubai Energy. Previously, he worked for Shell. Mills is a member of the International Association for Energy Economics and Association of International Petroleum Negotiators. He holds a Master's Degree in Geological Sciences from Cambridge University.

Simple Solution to Squash Global Warming By Ryan Rodgers

Global Warming has become a huge issue these days. What most people do not realize is that global warming and cooling is a cycle that the earth has gone through for millions of years. Right now, the earth is in its warming phase and us humans are accelerating that phase to a pace that the earth may not be able to cope with. In fact the earth is warming faster than it ever has in the past, due to human emissions of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.

What can we do? There are all kinds of things; creating new technology that reduces the output of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere seems to be all the hype. Using wind energy, solar panels, hybrid cars, water power, but there is a simpler, easier, low cost solution that is often overlooked, Planting Trees.

Imagine how many trees humans have removed from the Earth, or just in the US alone, over the past 2000 years, to build our cities, homes, and farms.

Now is the time to do something about it and every tree counts, here are some interesting facts and figures:

•Trees provide shade and shelter, reducing yearly heating and cooling costs by 2 billion dollars.
•In one year, a single tree can absorb as much carbon as is produced by a car driving 26,000 miles.
•In 50 years one tree recycles more than $37,000 worth of water, provides $31,000 worth of erosion control, $62,000 worth of air pollution control, and produces $37,000 worth of oxygen.
•By cooling the air and ground around them, the shade from trees helps cool the Earth's temperature.
•One person causes about 10 tons of carbon dioxide to be emitted a year. One tree removes about 1 ton of CO2 per year. So, planting 10 trees per person will remove each that person's carbon debt for the year.

Now is the time to do your part to help curb global warming! For more information on topic, for our views on this topic, or to donate to a worthy cause, go to www.greenifynow.org For every $2 you donate, greenifynow.org will plant one tree in the US where it is needed most Our short term goal is to plant ONE MILLION trees in the US.. Imagine if all 300 million people in the US just planted one tree. The impact on the global environment would be HUGE!

•ONE MILLION trees would remove ONE MILLION tons of carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere per year.
•Multiply that number by 300...
•Each tree planted for $2 is worth $167,000 in 50 years. Look at that ROI for the environment!

Ryan Rodgers
rrodgers@greenifynow.org
http://www.greenifynow.org

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Global Warming Charts By Ian Pennington

Global warming charts are tools that show graphs or illustrations representing the cause and rise in temperature of the environment due to global warming. You can look at it to fully understand what is happening in the world. Since global warming is a much popular phrase nowadays, connoting to the environmental threats and the frightening climate changes, using these charts will surely help people to have a bigger view of the extent of global warming. These charts aim to clearly impart the disastrous effects and the direct results of global warming. Aside from that, it will help people to see the areas in their daily lifestyle that must be changed. This is imperative as people seldom think about how their lives affect the environment.

The different global warming charts show the varying ways on how people look at the world. They are also interpreted in various ways. You can find here thermal imaging charts, pie graphs, and even diverse statistics. All the information relayed by these charts is presented in a more understandable manner so that anyone looking at them will easily grasp. You can view the different charts about global warming in different sites. Whatever you choose, one thing is for sure; you will get accurate information with regards to global warming and its effects.

More than just giving a comprehensive data about the extent of global warming and how people contribute to it, global warming charts also feed statistics. Among the vital entries stated in these include: the man-made and natural factors, climatic data, sources of greenhouse gases found in homes, global temperatures and other important details. Using these facts, you can see and analyze the best way out of this global warming problem. However, even these charts prove to be useful in informing people about the severity of global warming, all can be put into waste if one will not act on the problem. So, the best thing to do is know the things that should be done to stop global warming.

By paying attention to the information stated in all global warming charts, it is hard to deny the accumulated data that shows the impact of human technology to the environment. Warming of the climate is undeniable since it is now evident from the observations and obviously in the charts. Increase in global average air and ocean temperatures, fast melting of snow and ice and the rising sea levels. Though it sure will be difficult to totally stop global warming-causing human activities, mankind should start acting now. The final solution is to create a non-polluting and non-combustible source of power that will not affect the environment.

Ian Pennington is an accomplished niche website developer and author.

To learn more about global warming charts, please visit My Global Warming Impact for current articles and discussions.

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Animals Affected by Global Warming By Ian Pennington

Today, natural phenomena seem to get intensified, as manifested on the physical and chemical conditions of the earth's atmosphere. Several disturbances are not just evident to humans but to all living things and among the most significant problems ever occurred is global warming. The blame for this natural problem should only be given to people, who ruthlessly destroy the environment. The cruelty of people reaches every living thing from pole to pole as recent reports say that polar bears got stranded on small islands of ice, and most of these poor animals are dying and drowning. The animals affected by global warming are apparently innocent; ironically, they are always the first ones who suffer.

Global warming can cause habitat displacement, which is a great problem in the ecosystem. Imagine how animals affected by global warming get through such situation. These animals have spent millions of years in their respective ecosystems and then abruptly, their adaptation will shift. This is more illustrated by how ice gives way to water in the polar bear habitat. Beyond habitat displacement, experts agree that global warming results a shift in timing of many natural cyclical events in any animal's life. For example are the birds that have altered timing of long-held migratory and reproductive routines, bettering syncing up under warm climate. Some hibernating animals too are ending their slumbers earlier because of warmer spring temperatures.

Animals affected by global warming can sometimes move into new places and continue to thrive. However, parallel human population growth may mean that many land areas that are suitable for such "refugee wildlife" are already cluttered with industrial and residential developments. According to researches, when different species share the same habitat, they will respond in dissimilar ways while tearing apart the future ecological communities' millennia.

Most researches will testify the intensity of changes happening in the lives of animals affected by global warming. Thousands of struggling species suffer from extinction, in fact, as of 2003, 80% some 1,500 wildlife species sampled show signs of stress to climate change. Hence, we can possibly determine the situation of the innocent animals in 10 years or so. If the big polar bears undergo great sufferings from today's problem in global warming, what more will other smaller species feel then? The Defenders of Wildlife, an environmental movement, gathered statistics about some of the wildlife species that are hardest hit by global warming. Along with the polar bears on the list are the toads, penguins, arctic foxes, tree swallows, gray wolves, salmon, and painted turtles. Nonetheless, there is still hope if we still want to save the lives of these animals and other future victims. That is, if we will take decisive steps to reverse global warming. Let us stop razing the environment and fear God, for He will punish the destroyers at the end of time.

Ian Pennington is an accomplished niche website developer and author.
To learn more about global warming and animals, please visit Global Warming Impact for current articles and discussions.

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Solutions of Global Warming By Ian Pennington

The effects of global warming could be seen all around the world because on deserts, water scarcity is becoming more severe, and on tropical countries summer season are being lengthened. These things occur because the atmosphere's absorption capacity is enhanced by both natural and man-made global warming causes. Earth quakes, eruption and green house effects diminish the world balance and human activities continually add to pollution and environmental contamination. Now that we are already experiencing these unlikely effects, we should look out for the proper solutions of global warming.

The first remedy presented for global warming is the use of renewable energies such as solar energy, wind energy, geothermal energy and bio-gas. The substitution of these elements to the use of oil and other fuels would greatly decrease pollution thereby lessening global warming and its effect. The use of renewable energy could lessen the accumulation of carbon dioxide, nitrogen oxide and other by-products produced during fuel burning process or combustion. The second solution of global warming lies on human being because their actions are great contributor to pollution. Humans should develop self discipline, should learn energy conservation for these could also reduce global warming.

These solutions of global warming cannot be done by one time effort because these should be carried out on a long time process. People should be used to these changes and adopt it on their daily lives because if we will just do it for several days, there will be reduction only, not solution or eradication. Today we should start the campaign to make these known to everybody so that each of us could take part on this worldwide problem. We should start these campaigns ourselves, then to our family and lastly let's extend it to our society and to the whole world. All of us should fully understand what global warming is all about, what are its signs, what are its possible solutions and what should we do now - the full understanding of the problem is also the remedy itself.

Our present world could still take back what it has lost if we will all act to preserve, protect and maintain our environment. The plants could blossom once again and animals and human beings could procreate pro-create. Starting today let's not loss in our mind the solutions of global warming so that we will always be responsible on everything that we do. We will carry the guilt always to prevent ourselves from anything that could contribute and worsen our current situation today. Once we have inculcated these in ourselves and start to implement it, no doubt our world will be a better place for their will be no threats of drought, famine and of course the issue today, global warming.

Ian Pennington is an accomplished niche website developer and author.

To learn more about global warming solutions, please visit Global Warming News Online for current articles and discussions.

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Alarming Global Warming Statistics By Bryan Wong

According to NASA, the hottest year on record was 2005, which matched 1998. Twice in the last ten years, we've had the hottest temperatures on average ever recorded in our planet's history. That is very likely more than just a coincidence.

In fact, the past nine years have all been among the 25 warmest years on record, a streak which is unprecedented in the historical record. For that to happen, it's likely there has to be an underlying factor, and that factor seems to be global warming.

U.S. and global annual temperatures are now around 1.0 F degrees warmer than they were in 1900. The rate of warming has accelerated over the past 30 years, increasing at a rate of three times faster than the century-scale trend. It's likely the increase in CO2 emissions has something to do with that rate increase.

According to an MIT study, there's been a 100% increase in the intensity and duration of hurricanes and tropical storms since the 1970s, most likely due to the increased amount of CO2 emissions to our atmosphere, which has increased the Earth's surface temperature, and warmer weather is believed to increase the intensity of tropical storms and hurricanes.

In fact, the levels of atmospheric carbon dioxide has increased by 31% between 1800 and 2000, going from 280 parts per million to 367 parts per million. Scientists predict that carbon dioxide levels could be as high as 970 parts per million by the year 2100.

According to the National Climactic Data Centre estimates, $100 billion of damage was caused by hurricanes hitting the U.S. coast in 2005 alone. The increase in severity of the hurricanes and tropical storms is most likely due to the increase of CO2 emissions, which heats up the Earth's near-surface temperatures. In fact, the average surface temperature has increased by about 0.6 C (1.0 F) over the last 100 years. This is likely why snow cover and ice extent have decreased over the past few decades.

According to the U.S. Geological Survey predictions, Glacier National Park will have no glaciers left by the year 2030, further showing the rapidity of global warming and the impact it can have on our planet in the very near future.

According to the Arctic Climate Impact Assessment, 400,000 square miles of Arctic sea ice have melted, which is threatening polar bear habitats and further accelerating global warming worldwide. That amount of Arctic sea ice is approximately the size of the state of Texas, and we've lost that in just the last 30 years, further emphasizing that we need to take action now before the damage becomes too severe for our efforts to really matter.

The sea level has risen by 4?-8? (10-20 cm) over the past 100 years, which is likely due to the melting of the polar glaciers, which is likely due to the increase in the Earth's near-surface temperature, and that's being increased by the increase in CO2 emissions into Earth's atmosphere. This can lead to devastating effects for coastal communities because the sea level is rising, which means that when the sea comes in-tide, more erosion can occur, and if coastal communities are present, more damage done to them. In addition, losing the glaciers reduces the amount of usable fresh water on our planet.

It is also projected that 15-37% of all plant and animal species could be wiped out by global warming by the year 2050, which could further cause considerable damage to our planet's ecosystem.

The United States is ranked nr.1 among large nations of being a global warming polluter, contributing 25% of emissions, even though the U.S. only makes up 5% of the world's population. This provides more evidence that the U.S. Government must do more to combat global warming. In fact, six former U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) leaders say that the U.S. is not doing enough to fight global warming. The fact that there have been NO bills passed by the U.S. Congress to cut global warming pollution further confirms what many EPA leaders are saying.

As you can see, there is statistical evidence that proves that global warming is causing changes to our planet, and changes that will do more harm than good. Governments and individuals need to pay close attention to these statistics in order to figure out ways to reverse the disturbing trends that are now occurring. The sooner we take heed of these statistics and implement changes that address global warming, the quicker we can reverse the disturbing trends and the less damage will occur to our planet and way of life.

Bryan Wong is the owner of the global warming website http://www.geteasyinfo.com/globalwarming - A great website that shares quality Info, News and TIPS on Global Warming.

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