1: Oil

Whenever I am asked to answer the question, “what is the most pressing challenge facing the global environment?,” the first thing which pops into my head is, quite stereotypically, “global warming.” However, in recent weeks, I have come to the conclusion that, while global warming is a pressing concern which we as a planet need to address immediately, there is another problem which I believe will have a far greater impact on the global environment in the near future. The problem I am referring to is the world’s addiction to fossil fuels—specifically oil.

The debate on oil has been reignited in recent months, particularly due to the surge in fuel prices in the United States. The presidential election has also caused the top two presidential contenders, Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) and Sen. Barack Obama (D-IL), to make energy issues one of the highest priorities of the next presidential administration. While both men have discussed energy issues openly with the American public, it strikes me as if neither candidate has a true solution to the crisis we are about to face as a nation. Far worse, it seems that neither candidate truly understands that that crisis goes beyond the cost of energy, and actually lies with consumption.

As a college student, I have considered purchasing a vehicle in recent years. I have become disenchanted with public transportation in DC, from the increase in fares to the often ridiculous delays on both the Metro and Metrobus systems. My ideal vehicle would be a subcompact car with a fuel economy above thirty miles per gallon highway, which would be both cost effective and “friendly” to the environment. In fact, my ideal vision for the world would be the end of the Sport Utility Vehicle and the rise of the subcompact or hybrid car.

But the problem, as I have realized, is not fuel economy, or price. It is the simple fact that the vehicle I would eventually own would run on oil. And if everyone owned a subcompact car, or hybrid car, that would not alleviate the problem of consumption which underlines the oil crisis. It would only serve as a temporary distraction, where everyone would think that they are helping the environment by utilizing vehicles which run on less oil. While everyone would indeed be using less oil, they would still be using it.

My opinion was swayed last year, when I took a chemistry course on environmental resources and energy issues. In class, the professor discussed a new vehicle—the Tata Nano—a small vehicle which would be produced in India, that uses less oil and could be purchased for under $3,000 USD. At first, I considered such a breakthrough to be magnificent. I thought, “I can’t wait for that to hit the United States—I could use something small and affordable to get through this city.” Then, the problem which shrouded the Tata Nano came into light. The fact that almost anyone in India could afford the vehicle, and the oil which fueled it, meant that over half a billion models could be on the road in developing nations across the world. India, China, Russia, various African and European nations would have access to a vehicle which consumes oil. The impact on these consumers’ wallets would be small, but the impact on our environment could eventually become catastrophic. Demand for oil would increase, consumption of oil would increase, and our environment, as well as our global economy, could be thrown off balance.

As a result, I have become a strong advocate of alternative energies, as well as a decrease in reliance on all motor vehicles. The hydrogen fuel cell seems like the best alternative to oil we could explore as a nation. Additionally, I support the use of compressed natural gas as an alternative fuel. Both can be manufactured en masse, and would have a significantly lower impact on our environment. Unfortunately, both fuels seem to be far off on the horizon. Instead, for now, we have to look forward to the resurgence of the electric car (as Chevy will introduce the Volt in 2010), a vehicle which does not run on oil though still uses fossil fuels to produce the electricity which charges its battery.

I hope that, regardless of who becomes president, the next leader of the United States will see the greater problem facing our energy crisis. I hope that we will see a surge in alternative energies and energy production, that our reliance on oil will plummet within the next decade. But my cynicism tells me otherwise, and when I look at the potential emerging crisis in developing nations such as India and China, I do not believe the world’s reliance on oil will come to an abrupt end. I fear that the addiction will become far too severe, and that we as a planet will not be able to overcome the looming catastrophe we will suffer as a result.