A Collection of Charts, Graphs and Maps Exploring
the Global Oil Industry
The Globalist
April 28, 2020
Just how big is the oil industry?
Much bigger and more invasive in our lives than I thought. It is tied to almost
every product and service we consider modern necessities and desirables. See the
above link for eleven graphics providing facts on the global oil industry.
The last chart from The Globalist (see above, top) shows a
selection of consumer products that can be produced from one barrel of oil.
Along with our technological efforts
at fixing, ameliorating, and redirecting oil dependency we need a radical reset
of our values and beliefs, especially those about our relationships with each
other, and with Earth.
Regrettably, this involves efforts in
politics and economics, areas where the vast majority of humankind have little
to no control.
I say regrettably because of the deep
dysfunctional and economic cronyism of current US and global politics. The
troughs provided by the wealthy are bottomless and tasty. Leading these
political minions of the rich manufacturers and service providers in a better, more
humane direction is difficult to nigh impossible, and dangerous.
I am, to a degree, (reluctantly, skeptically), supportive
of technology and new ideas to change our modern ways. However, I am reluctant
to support the insatiable consumption and inequity at the heart of capitalist
modernity.
I also support having hope and
supporting activism no matter how dire the present and future look. Some of you
think I don’t, but I do.
I am nevertheless going to remain a
contrarian, a doomsayer until I see radical, permanent changes in three areas;
indicators of which count far more than technology, hope, and activism:
1. Economics. Big oil, manufacturers,
and service providers must shift, in word and deed, from infinite growth to
sustainability. They must also acknowledge and publicly admit the harm their
activities have had on Earth, and Earth as a habitat for life. They must also
allocate far more money and
resources than they have to other-than-oil-based activities, products, and
services.
2. Politics. This vastly complicit
lot of money-chasing, power-addicted, preening parasites, mostly (but not all)
on the Right, must radically change their legislative and leadership
activities, in word and deed.
Laws, leadership, and funding must
change to support better, more humane ways of thinking and behaving toward
each other; and toward economic policies that are more humane, and Earth and life
sustaining. This must be done in a way that is permanent over the long term,
not temporarily to suit politician-preferred short-term re-election cycles.
3. Culture. Beliefs, values, and
preferred ways of behaving in the minds of persons matter most. They define and
support all political, economic, and religious ideas and actions. A radical
change is needed. A radical movement is urgently needed away from: human
exceptionalism (secular and divine); libertarianism; international and domestic
Social Darwinism; and comfort and convenience regardless of the cost to our
fellow humans and the planet. This change in culture, within and between
societies, must become permanent and sustainable.
None of the above three changes are
anywhere near permanent and sustainable. Not even close. Nor do they show
significant signs of moving in such better directions. In fact, a good case
could be made that the current individualism, populism, and cutthroat hyper-nationalism,
in the US and elsewhere, are hallmarks of our current catastrophic direction,
and things are getting worse by the day.
Until radically better laws,
leadership, economic policies and activities, and new ways of thinking about
humankind are permanently and
sustainably in place, we shall remain doomed. And I shall remain a
contrarian, doomsayer.
This is not another plug for I have announced
and plugged it already, but my latest book has scattered through it some
suggestions for making these other-than-technology-hope-and-activism changes.
Here’s the link:
