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For decades, while oil prices stayed down, this did not seem to be a mistake. Low gasoline prices disguised the economic vulnerability of so much car use. Currently, American use something like 27 barrels of oil per annum per capita, while European consume 9 barrels, and the Chinese maybe 3 barrels. We now have a situation where America has about 5% of the world's population, and consumes about 20-25% of the world's oil production. In a world of limited oil, this is clearly unsustainable, and a huge economic vulnerability for the country.
That's balanced by all those people (many of them Chinese) living a barely subsistence lifestyle using almost no oil at all. I'd rather burn the oil and not live like them.
That's balanced by all those people (many of them Chinese) living a barely subsistence lifestyle using almost no oil at all. I'd rather burn the oil and not live like them.
Subsistence is where these rural communities COME FROM, but probably not where these rural communities are headed.
This past week, I met with someone who works for the Chinese government and famous Tsinghau University in Beijing. He told me that the government is spending billions of RMB to foster "cultural change" in the rural parts of China. They want to make it more attractive for people to stay there, rather than fleeing to the cities, and they definitely are aiming to avoid the American car-dependent model.
China seems to be at a stage where they are very ready to learn from others, while America is "highly resistant to change" - not even being willing to admit some (rather obvious?) flaws in its suburban living arrangement.
No one has yet addressed the obvious problem that the US is using maybe 5X its share of the world's oil - I truly want to know : How do you expect to keep that going??
If I could find a sensible answer, I might be less committed and passionate about carfree living (and car-light living.)
S No one has yet addressed the obvious problem that the US is using maybe 5X its share of the world's oil - I truly want to know : How do you expect to keep that going??
If I could find a sensible answer, I might be less committed and passionate about carfree living (and car-light living.)
No one address's it because no one cares. We will be dead and gone when it becomes someone elses issue.
Anti-car people are what witches were to puritans in 1690's. We should be excommunicated and burned at the stake for hating freedom and shunning the American way.
There are number of things that could be done, right now, to curb the insatiable addiction, like rationing, charging 10.00 a gallon and putting a massive surtax on irresponsible vehicles, but the peasants would storm townhall with pitchforks and torches.
Nobody makes a fuss about Luxembourg or Canada despite the fact they consume more oil than we do. When they start fussing about Canada, which finally just admitted Kyoto was bunk and stopped pretending to care, it'll be fair criticism.
No one address's it because no one cares. We will be dead and gone when it becomes someone elses issue.
Anti-car people are what witches were to puritans in 1690's. We should be excommunicated and burned at the stake for hating freedom and shunning the American way.
There are number of things that could be done, right now, to curb the insatiable addiction, like rationing, charging 10.00 a gallon and putting a massive surtax on irresponsible vehicles, but the peasants would storm townhall with pitchforks and torches.
Maybe you are right.
The exercise of Denial is so well-ingrained that even an obvious problem like this rarely gets addressed.
Or when it does get addressed, it is through half-measures (quarter-measures?) like a slow build-out of a small light rail system.
I fear that the US will go from $5 oil to $10 oil within something like 1-2 years. And then after a pause, gasoline prices will go from $10 to $20 in another brief episode.
If we are right, then it may take some big shocks like this to shake the car-dependent out of their long sleep.
Nobody makes a fuss about Luxembourg or Canada despite the fact they consume more oil than we do. When they start fussing about Canada, which finally just admitted Kyoto was bunk and stopped pretending to care, it'll be fair criticism.
Canada has a problem with oil dependency, and so does Australia. But that will not make it any easier for America to cope with the next Oil price shock.
Europe and the UK have addressed the risk (somewhat) by raising petrol taxes to a much higher level that the US, and so they are now using cars more efficiently.
No one address's it because no one cares. We will be dead and gone when it becomes someone elses issue.
Anti-car people are what witches were to puritans in 1690's. We should be excommunicated and burned at the stake for hating freedom and shunning the American way.
There are number of things that could be done, right now, to curb the insatiable addiction, like rationing, charging 10.00 a gallon and putting a massive surtax on irresponsible vehicles, but the peasants would storm townhall with pitchforks and torches.
More emotionally over-loaded language. Witches and puritains. Burning at the stake. No one wants to burn you at the stake, my poor fellow, despite your efforts to be as obnoxious as possible. Calling those who disagree with you "peasants". That's just a pure insult without any real content attached. Posts like the one above contribute nothing to any rational discussion. Why the hyperbole? Does it make you feel better?
Subsistence is where these rural communities COME FROM, but probably not where these rural communities are headed.
Then they'll start using more oil. Or more energy of some sort, anyway.
Quote:
This past week, I met with someone who works for the Chinese government and famous Tsinghau University in Beijing. He told me that the government is spending billions of RMB to foster "cultural change" in the rural parts of China. They want to make it more attractive for people to stay there, rather than fleeing to the cities, and they definitely are aiming to avoid the American car-dependent model.
You'll excuse me if I don't find the Chinese government to be much of an authority on what is desirable for people as a whole.
Quote:
China seems to be at a stage where they are very ready to learn from others, while America is "highly resistant to change" - not even being willing to admit some (rather obvious?) flaws in its suburban living arrangement.
America, despite the best efforts of its leaders, is not yet a totalitarian state. Barack Obama cannot just give an order and have everyone abandon their homes and SUVs and move into a 400 sqft box in the city.
Quote:
No one has yet addressed the obvious problem that the US is using maybe 5X its share of the world's oil - I truly want to know : How do you expect to keep that going??
America's share of oil consumption is irrelevant. The world's oil production is not parceled up into per-nation shares according to the population's of said nations. America need not use less because Ethiopia uses almost none.
Canada has a problem with oil dependency, and so does Australia. But that will not make it any easier for America to cope with the next Oil price shock.
Europe and the UK have addressed the risk (somewhat) by raising petrol taxes to a much higher level that the US, and so they are now using cars more efficiently.
Lots of people in the U.S. have also begun using cars more efficiently. Did you know that the Prius was the biggest selling car in California in 2012? Nation-wide it was only 14th, but California is the largest car market in the country. Most changes are incremental and happen over time.
America's share of oil consumption is irrelevant. The world's oil production is not parceled up into per-nation shares according to the population's of said nations. America need not use less because Ethiopia uses almost none.
Lord in Heaven ! What a response !
Are you living in a cave somewhere?
What do you think is allowing the US to import about 7-8 million barrels a day?
Well, to start with: it is not because the US is exporting goods in trade for those oil imports. Our "excellent" country is exporting its paper currency to pay for that oil. And that currency gets exchanged for US treasury obligations. So all those oil exporters are relying on "the full faith and credit of the US government" as our debts to foreign nations grows and grows.
Do you think this is sustainable?
Have you noticed that China has begun to decrease its holdings of US Treasuries, and otehr countries are beginning to be less will to take US dollars, and to buy our bonds.
How do you imagine this is going to end?
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