They are therefore no different to any other derivative that comes from plant or mineral and has been altered to provide some useful medicinal diagnosis. Laypeople react with revulsion since they are unaware of the scientific steps that have gone into the procedure and resulted in a totally modified entity. Were they aware of this, ethical concerns may be obliterated. Issue 20 -- Should the world continue to rely on oil as a major source of energy?

Issue Synopsis and Opinion

Energy researchers have developed a model called Hubbert's Curve that seems to indicate that oil is running out. As oil recovery technology has been introduced, this curve has lengthened leading some to say that we can continue relying on resources of oil. However, the curve is still there and contraction in oil supply has an enormous effect on the way that America functions in many aspects of its life.

There are two major dimensions to the oil crisis. The first is a management dilemma about how to control this reduction of oil that may pit business against business and raise taxes amongst other hugely unpalatable consequences.

The second is an industry crisis caused by an environmental threat of how to adjust the automotive industry to minimize the damage done to the environment by burning of fossil fuels. If the world has to resort to alternatives, the question is how the automotive industry should respond.

The Argument for relying on oil

The recent revolutionary advances in technology will overcome problems of oil shortages and yield sufficient quantities of oil for the foreseeable future.

Advances in technology include the following three areas:

1. Directional drilling

2. Horizontal drilling

3. 3-D Seismic technology

One day, oil will no longer be the world's dominant energy source, but until then there is plenty of oil for many, many years.
The argument for searching for alternative sources of energy

The peak of oil production, so-called Hubbert's Peak, was the important turning point in our species' relationship to petroleum. Then USA passed its oil peak in 1970 and since then production has dropped steadily. Since we continue consuming more and more oil, however, this means that we have import about two-thirds of our oil and this will only increase.

Some say that there is possibility of potentially large resources still to be found in America, but this is a miasma. Moreover, American natural gas-production is also declining at 5% a year despite frantic drilling, and there promises to be grater declines ahead.

Unless strong conservation efforts are implemented, the new scarcity of oil will destroy much that we have taken for granted in our lives. Changes will include climate change, epidemic disease and population overshoot.

There is no 'hydrogen economy', nor can we rescue our way of life with "renewables." The only solution may be nuclear power despite all its problems. And oil conservation. It is an emergency that we will have to get used to.