csua.org/u/60g -> www.culturechange.org/issue20/Last%20days%20of%20America.htm
This places mathematical lower limits on the rate of growth of these civilizations. Kaku says that to survive requires growing sources of energy just to keep pace with demand, Specifically, we can rank civilizations by their energy consumption And America leads our world in energy consumption. Unfortunately, we derive most of our energy from a commodity that we dont have enough of, oil. According to some, we can begin to find the alternative resources to build a secure energy future right here within our borders. But others, already invested in the infrastructure of the past have another plan for us. What they dont have for themselves, they can just steal from those who do. Americas most giant corporations have Oil rich Islam staring down the barrels of their hired guns. But while Exxon and Unocal drool at the prospect of how they can best divie up the loot from what may later be known as Historys greatest armed robbery, its time the rest of us pause to think outside the box. Our planets limited supply of oil was created on earth millions of years ago and will eventually either run out or become thermodynamically and economically worthless. And remember, it takes energy to drill for oil let alone refine and transport it for market. In order for civilization to benefit from an energy resource, the finished product must be able to release more energy when put to work, than was used to prepare and develop it. As the easy to find oil is exhausted, the more difficult to extract oil that remains is less useful. Eventually, despite advances in drilling technology, the worlds oil will become less attractive than available alternatives or may simply become worthless as a source of useful energy. As that day approaches, we live in an America long since petroformed by the oil industry from a land of independent family farms and businesses, to a nation dependent like serfs on their lord, on the barons of oil for everything from fuel to fertilizer. Today as we watch without protest, a new Feudalism is being forged worldwide by their mighty armies, our indignation subdued by the prospect of fueling our SUVs with cheap ill begotten oil. Finding the High Ground The high ground of the future is wherever the net energy is. Thats the energy we can put to work without having to expend much existent energy to get it. He calculated that the energy consumption of these three types of civilization would be separated by a factor of many billions. Will we sustain ourselves long enough to reach even the first rung on the ladder? If we dont, we will simply join the growing list of extinct species found on our planet and thought to riddle the universe. Kaku must think we have a long way to go just to get on the first rung, A Type One civilization is one that controls the energy resources of its planet. This civilization can control the weather, prevent earthquakes, mine deep in the earths crust, and harvest the oceans. This civilization has already completed the exploration of its solar system. A recent report by Alex Johnson of MSNBC that demonstrates that our actions in the Mideast are tailored for an energy policy catering not to the available resources on our table, but to the proprietary interests of Big Oil and their lust for other peoples resources. Johnson said, The belief in some circles is that the heavy reliance on foreign oil, including Iraqi crude, is factored into the White House plans to take on Saddam.
Johnson also quotes George Sterzinger, executive director of the Renewable Energy Policy Project, There are technologies that exist now that could replace looming shortfalls in fossil resourcesR&D has paid off Truth? In the year 2000, United States energy consumption was estimated at 102 quadrillion Btu, a staggering figure. Incredibly though, more than 10 million more quadrillion units of solar energy hits the ground on American soil each day than we used that whole year! The rays of the sun could used to generate cost effective electricity, to grow biofuels, or manufacture hydrogen to fuel vehicles. Johnson wrote to his mainstream readers, But, alternative energy advocates say, the game is rigged. They complain that those shortcomings could be surmounted with adequate federal support, and they accuse the government of talking a good game but failing to deliver. Talking about Big Oil, Johnson pointed out, Since Bush took office, his administration has directed a total of $6 billion in subsidies toward conservation, fuel efficiency and renewable resources, less than a quarter of the $27 billion it has spent on fossil fuels, according to an analysis by The New York Times . Speaking to the mainstream, Johnson himself admits, The United States energy challenges are much more grave than the president, the Senate or the House has recognized, than anybody has ever articulated to the American people. Consider these words from Kaku, A Type Two civilization is one that controls the power of the sun itself.
By the year 2005, the industry will just break even-it will be necessary to use as much energy to produce any given quantity. Oil production peaked in the lower forty eight states decades ago and even with the potential production of fields in Alaska, we will still remain dependent on imports if we plan to continue selling our big cars. Soon though, because of the thermodynamic costs, it wont be logical to look for new oil anywhere in the US because, even if you could sell oil for $500 a barrel, exploring, drilling, and transporting it to market would consume more energy than it would recover. They have long since outgrown the producing oil reserves in this country and they now have literally set their sights on the low hanging fruit in the Caspian Sea and the vast reserves of Iraq. Of course though, even these thermodynamically rich resources wont be around forever amid exponentially growing worldwide demand. And Unocal, Halliburton, Exxon, and their off shore clones have worked hard to install a national leadership to do their bidding for them. They had to because the cost of doing business has gotten so much higher. In this case though, they found a way to offset the high costs of acquisition. They can get to the thermodynamically good stuff with taxpayer-subsidized munitions. Oil is simply becoming more and more thermodynamically expensive worldwide and now in order to survive, Oil companies need to concentrate on the low hanging fruit, the elephant finds, the ones found in other peoples countries. MSNBCs Johnson, quoting petro industry sources point out, The United States economy runs on oil, and it does so because it is cheap and convenient it isnt any more complicated than that, an industry official said. Through the miracle of petroforming, competing energy sources arent as versatile as petroleum. Johnson says, Theyre not what the industry calls fungible, meaning they cant be used for a wide spectrum of applications. The bad news is, when the oil supply ultimately fails, absent alternative technologies, the worlds food supply will go with it. But when it comes to developing alternative technologies though, in a government controlled by former oil company kingpins, as Johnson quotes George Sterzinger, Executive Director of the Renewable Energy Policy Project, policies dont move in that direction. Since all our energy eggs have been put in the oil basket, the fate of one will determine the fate of the other. The United States Geological Survey has said that Oil discovery is about to peak worldwide and absent an alternative, there will be more at stake for us than just our bragging rights to being an advanced civilization. Kaku says, Even an advanced civilization is bound by the laws of thermodynamics, especially the Second Law, and can hence be ranked by the energy at their disposal. In reality, because there is in only a dwindling supply of energy that can be sucked from the well, absent an alternative, we will be living in an energy limited economy.
Hanson adds, It has been estimated that about four percent of the nations energy budget is used to grow food, while about 10 to 13 percent is needed to put it on our plates. In other words, a staggerin...
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