Panacea

So I just watched Senator Obama's acceptance speech. Without getting too overly political I'll say that I liked it. Regardless of whether you believe him or not, you have to admit he is a great orator.

Among the points he mentioned were alternative energy sources, a topic often discussed as of late. One that is also a bit misunderstood. I don't claim to be an expert by any means, but I am interested.

The sources of alternative energy most commonly mentioned are solar, wind, and nuclear. All of which are viable alternatives, for electricity generation. They, especially the wind and solar, are wonderful alternatives to coal and building more hydro electric facilities [we have all the dams we need, says I]. However, these clean, great alternatives will not break us of our oil dependency, they are not substitutes for oil. The grim news is that there is no alternative for oil.

The two ways in which wind, solar, etc etc can take the place of oil are electric cars or hydrogen powered cars. Unfortunately, electric cars have very limited range before they need a charge, and it takes huge amounts of electricity to separate hydrogen from water.

The root of the problem in our after peak oil/$4.00 a gallon world is our [American] life style. We talk of alternative energies as if there is a panacea, a magic bullet, for our oil woes. Nothing can replace oil. If our [America's and the world's] consumption continues to grow at its current exponential rate, the too close doomsday predictions of 2050 for the cost of oil extraction to exceed economic viability could be shortened to 2030 or, heaven forbid, 2020.

Alternative energies must be pursued if we are to avoid economic catastrophy [not to mention irreparable harm to the environment and global climate]. But a large part of the solution must be a lifestyle shift. I am not advocating the banishment of single family detached homes, or that everyone must live in a Le Corbusier style city [I think Corbusier was a genius and produced beautiful work. I just wouldn't want to live in the Ville Contemporaine]. The change does not need to be that drastic. If we could live closer to work, closer to our daily needs, and rely on transit for the majority of our trips, maybe get rid of one of the two cars most households have [we're guilty], the 2050 estimate could be postponed for decades.

It's like a bag of [insert favorite food/candy here] - the best way to enjoy them for a longer time isn't to polish off the bag in 15 minutes then go find some more. Eat a couple of _____, then have some fruit snacks. They will last longer, and you won't get so sick.

It is going to take more than a swapping one resource for another.