Few of us will deny that being dependent on foreign oil supplies is undesirable. But it is not widely known that available oil supplies worldwide are dwindling, which drives the need for alternative ways of meeting our energy needs. While there is still a lot of oil in the ground, much of this is becoming harder and more costly to extract.
The term “peak oil” describes the concept that oil is a limited resource and at some point the available oil supplies will become less and less. According to some sources global oil consumption already outstrips viable new oil sources.
While we are not likely to completely run out of oil, newly discovered supplies will become less accessible and/or of lower quality, making it progressively more costly to extract. In addition, oil consumption is also on the increase as developing nations like China and India become more industrialized. Oil prices are therefore likely to keep rising.
The bottom line is that it is in everyones interest to become less fossil fuel dependent. A first step in that direction is to become more energy efficient. Saving energy means a lessened dependency on fossil fuels, fewer pollutants, as well as saving money.
Greater energy efficiency can be achieved in many ways. For example, homes can be made more energy efficient with weatherizing and improved insulation, saving on heating and cooling costs. In the transportation arena, biofuels and fuel efficient hybrid cars are becoming more popular. Meanwhile, the Green Plus liquid fuel catalyst from Biofriendly Corporation makes internal combustion engines more efficient by causing the fuel to burn more completely and thus reducing fuel consumption and harmful emissions.
References:
(1)http://www.energybulletin.net/primer.php
(2)http://www.ecomall.com/greenshopping/20things.htm
