Which insights on the Energy Crisis and Peak Oil most illuminate the irrational quest for oil ? What was surprising?
Sarah B --http://snack.to/5xvbBg
Clare - http://snack.to/oaOHhf
Please provide useful feedback to your classmates by November 18.
Comment for Sarah B--
ReplyDeleteI think you present a really interesting argument that unlike whale oil, there is nothing that can replace oil, so we need to makes changes on our dependence. I have never really thought of the idea of preparing for a world without a type of oil, but you bring up a point. Some things are not replaceable and as a result the human population needs to adapt. (Margot Young)
Margot,
ReplyDeletethank you for your thoughtful responses. We have been so addicted to oil for so long that we ignore the "hidden costs" of fossil fuels while claiming that wind and solar are "too expensive" to adopt. It would be great for energy pundits to take up the "crusade" for alternatives to oil because that's our best hope for survival.
Molly -
ReplyDeleteI found your article very powerful, what with the statistics, graphs and your well thought out points. I thought it was interesting how you connected the U.S.'s lack of motivation in the search for alternative energy sources with the fact that petroleum is so cheap. This definitely speaks to the money-centric nature of our society, and highlights the dire need for Americans to become less obsessed with consumption. (Layne Whitted)
Molly,
ReplyDeleteI found your article to be extremely informative. I like how you compared how the whaling industry fizzled out with what will/might happen to the petroleum industry. I remember talking about alternative solutions last year as well, being nuclear power could be a strong solution to our overall dependency on oil, which I thought about when I read your article. (Allie Koplan)
Clare-
ReplyDeleteUntil reading your article, I guess I never really thought about how products are literally designed just for the use of petroleum and nothing else. It’s not like when we run out we can just say, “Oops. Looks like I’ll start filling my car with apple juice…” There literally is no way out of this ditch we have dug ourselves into for a long, long time. Great job, this was all very thorough and brought up some ideas that I never really took the time to consider about petroleum and our uses.
Sarah G
Sarah Burton,
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed reading your flipsnack. The idea of using more sustainable living in order to diminish our dependance on oil is a very interesting idea that should be more widely accepted because, as you showed, we are going to need it in the near future. It is strange to think that so much of our lives is controlled by petroleum and there is no strong alternative. Maybe the end of the world isn't coming in 2012, maybe it's the end of oil...
Gunnar
Clare,
ReplyDeleteIn your article you say that yes, alternative energies are good but in no way can they satisfy our increasing demand for energy because all the products we own are built for petroleum based energy. This is kind of a slap in the face to society because we're digging our own graves faster and faster. You bring up how we don't have enough money to begin the change to cleaner energy and how even if we did, that wouldn't be sufficient. This article is really thorough and well thought out, good job! (Krista M)
Clare,
ReplyDeleteYou stress that our standard of living will change when our oil is all dried up, which is a point I think could help people join the bandwagon of a more sustainable life. I think it is also that the world, especially Americans have gotten used to a lifestyle of overconsumption that we have made the norm. Also I appreciated your point that our poor economy is causing the research of alternative energy to be at a lull, so we won't be ready to fully refurbish our energy supply when we deplete our oil reserves. (Annalee Soskin)
Brett,
ReplyDeleteI like your fact about whale oil fueling the Industrial Revolution, it makes me wonder if we found another sustainable energy source... how would that effect our economy? Perhaps oil is the only thing holding us back from bringing the economy back up. Petroleum is not only fueling our cars but also our jobs...
-annalee soskin
Molly,
ReplyDeleteI thought that your article was very well thought out and it was great how you had a fact to back up pretty much all your ideas. That really strengthened your argument. It really put things into perspective of where we are at with oil and pricing and if we do repeat what we did with whale oil and the price reaches $1,200 a barrel, we won't try to find alternatives. I also liked the point that there really isn't, as of now, an alternative that is a cheap and effective and petroleum. I also really liked how you ended your article with a strong quote, It really wrapped up your article nicely and hit with a BANG.(James Rabjohns)
Sarah B,
ReplyDeleteYour article was very interesting! I liked how you started off with how many things in daily life come from oil. Your points worked well to establish your thesis. The part of "transition response" stood out. That innovation will not save us was a good way to end.
Good job!
-Ilanah