Peak Oil Panic

I am probably breaking an unwritten or written rule of blogging, but I don't really care. I found another post at Al Fin this morning. Find an excerpt below:

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A lot of people just need a catastrophe--any catastrophe--to make their lives feel worthwhile. If the catastrophe fits their political proclivities and prejudices, so much the better.

Most people are tired of this dependence on fossil fuels, and want society to move to renewables as soon as economically and technologically possible. The world will not end during this transition, much to the disappointment of the doomseekers.

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Commentary

I think it is so sad that most of the debate in the origin of oil seems directed toward achieving a desirable political end. The Peak Oilers keep putting back the date of the peak, Enviros keep pushing Alternative Energy and Conservation (Which, ironically, keeps us Dependent on Oil longer!).
Don't even get me started on the whole SUV thing. Most of those behemoths get twice or three times the miles per gallon that I achieve in my 1984 GMC I call "The Beast."



Data about the Beast:

• It is driven 75 miles a day on workdays, Monday thru Friday


• I put between 62 and 70 gallons of gasoline in it weekly.


• I use 2 quarts of oil every week. Where is all this going?


• There are no emission controls on this truck. None. Nada. Zilch.


• I figure I average around 6 mpg, despite most of my commute being on a four lane road.


• I paid only $400 for this lovely machine, arguably 100 times less than an average SUV.


• For every SUV on the road, there are at least ten cars and trucks like mine.