Reply #16: Energy sources DID run out - read your history

[Ezlivin]

When wood was running out, Britain turned to coal. England was facing "Peak Wood" in the eighteenth century and had to turn to coal. Once coal became more valuable (despite its smoke and odors), it became worthwhile to dig it up. Scrapings became pits became mines.

Easter Island was stripped of all its fuel (wood) and the culture there completely collapsed.

Once oil was discovered and its superior qualities ascertained, coal was phased out. Coal was harder to get, didn't burn as clean and was not nearly as efficient.

And coal will run out. Our "250 years" of supply is good only at the current rate of consumption. So if we decide to switch back to coal, we will start consuming it at a higher and ever increasing rate. We have already mined much of the best-quality coal that is closest to the surface and easiest to get. What remains may require so much energy to mine that it would be pointless to do so.

Solar energy is great, but who is going to build the solar cells without using oil? Can you name one solar cell producing plant that supplies all of its own power?

The problem is much larger than most people realize. And most people are so enamored of our technology that they are essentially cargo-cultists.