| Oil is not called "black gold" without reason. All | | | | huge shale fields of Texas, Arkansas, Louisiana, |
| world economies exist on oil. Without oil, business | | | | and Appalachia. What's more, natural gas cuts |
| and industries come to a stop, prices of basic | | | | carbon dioxide emissions by 30% and is much |
| commodities escalate, and life as we know it | | | | cheaper than oil. |
| changes drastically. However, oil is a finite | | | | In 2006, President George W Bush referred to |
| resource and the time has come to reap the | | | | America's dependence on imported oil as a |
| results of decades of exploitation and lack of | | | | "serious problem". He advocated funding of clean |
| forethought. | | | | energy research, nuclear energy and renewable |
| Green house emissions from the combustion of | | | | energy. President Obama is also talking about |
| gas have raised pollution levels, depleted the | | | | reducing foreign oil dependence in the next ten |
| ozone layer, and led to global warming - a hard | | | | years as it is damaging to the climate and also a |
| truth that is making itself felt as countries across | | | | "security threat". |
| the planet bear the brunt of unseasonal rains, | | | | We know the problem and we know the solution |
| record breaking temperatures, droughts, fires, and | | | | - renewable energy. The challenge is to make the |
| floods. Medical problems due to rising pollution | | | | solution commercially viable so that it is accepted |
| levels have also reached alarming proportions. | | | | across the nation and that too, soon. Far-thinking |
| China has launched a planned acquisition of oil | | | | earth-friendly industries and businesses are already |
| reserves in countries across the world. The Middle | | | | harnessing solar energy commercially and |
| East is in a strong position to negotiate and it is | | | | exploring other options such as natural gas, |
| thriving on the continuous revenue that spins out | | | | biomass, wind, and nuclear energy to cut down oil |
| of its oil reserves. Cutthroat competition will soon | | | | consumption. I know a lot of you would be |
| make oil prices exorbitant and unaffordable to the | | | | against nuclear energy. I believe if we use enough |
| common person. Coupled with the dwindling supply | | | | safety measure in the plants and while disposing |
| of oil, the future situation spells disaster unless | | | | off the waste, nuclear energy could be one of |
| alternative energy sources are tapped. | | | | the most economical and readily available energy |
| USA is one of the biggest gas guzzlers of the | | | | source to the world. |
| world, depending heavily on Middle East oil | | | | A lot of damage has already been done and we |
| reserves to drive its economy. This is unfortunate | | | | cannot reverse it. What we can do is break the oil |
| as the U.S. has the potential and the reserves to | | | | addiction by moving to renewable energy. No |
| use natural gas as commercial and domestic fuel. | | | | more politicizing. No more procrastination. It is time |
| A report indicates that the U.S. has almost two | | | | for action now. Immediate steps are required at |
| quadrillion cubic feet of natural gas reserves. | | | | federal and individual levels to build sustainable |
| Advanced technology and drilling techniques have | | | | businesses and economies. |
| made it possible to recover natural gas from the | | | | |