After Oil

[Mr. Dirlewanger]

Do you guys think the push for green technology should worry nations dependant on oil exports? China and India will prolong the life of the oil market as it currently is for a while but my buddy tells me even China is interested in green tech. Assuming this is true (I haven't checked into this and the guy is a Noam Chomsky fan.... ) the long term prospects of the Mid East are truly bleak. Nigeria and other African nations at least have decent agricultural potential(or had since Africans f'd up their agricultural sectors big time but who says they can't recover with the right policies?). 

Thoughts?

Edit

Seems the Mid East produces less than half of what it currently consumes in agricultural products but it also appears that some regional economies are more diverse than I suggested above.

[Vermouth]

Sure. They already have the worry of when their oil reserves may run out. If a viable green technology gets adopted sooner rather than later I don't see how the Kingdom (and Sheikdoms of the Peninsula) could maintain the infrastructure they've created without the levels of wealth made possible by oil revenue. The region outside of Arabia is probably more diverse with agriculture and industry. Whatever the new technology is, I imagine it will be a long transition. These countries will have an opportunity to adapt, but it will be a drastic change from the oil wealth they've depended on for the past half-century. And the population growth rate of the region is high, isn't it? I don't see how that could be supported.

[Peter1469]

I think that it depends on what other economic options oil producers have.  The Middle East has no other options.  Their wealth comes from oil and they don’t do much else.  Many citizens don’t work- they collect their pay check for being citizens and hire third worlders to do their work for them. 

Alternative energy, on a large enough scale, would destroy the Middle East economy and cause much misery.  Society would collapse.  This is the reason that I support alternative fuels. 

[spunkloaf]

I don't understand why people hate green technology.  Do they prefer wasting money and energy?  I think our entire economy is wasteful, money and energy and production wise.

Oil will never go away.  But it's obviously not enough to support us right now, as it is getting way too expensive.  What's wrong with encouraging people to buy a more fuel efficient car, or one that doesn't use any gas at all?  Or buying a green switch?  If you don't want any new green evil companies to benefit from your purchase, buy green technology from your current energy provider~!!!!!

Do people have green technology protests, where they smash solar panels and burn trees for spite and stick forks in the eyes of small furry creatures and yell "YEAH!!!  Rumsfeld!!!"?

This all seems purely political-religious. (I use that term to describe somebody as over-the-top biased to their political stance).

[wow]

I don't understand why people hate green technology.  Do they prefer wasting money and energy?  I think our entire economy is wasteful, money and energy and production wise.

Oil will never go away.  But it's obviously not enough to support us right now, as it is getting way too expensive.  What's wrong with encouraging people to buy a more fuel efficient car, or one that doesn't use any gas at all?  Or buying a green switch?  If you don't want any new green evil companies to benefit from your purchase, buy green technology from your current energy provider~!!!!!

Do people have green technology protests, where they smash solar panels and burn trees for spite and stick forks in the eyes of small furry creatures and yell "YEAH!!!  Rumsfeld!!!"?

This all seems purely political-religious. (I use that term to describe somebody as over-the-top biased to their political stance).

The politicians are playing you.
Environmentalists are Lawyers. They get rich by suing to PREVENT alternative fuels, this is why environmentalists cry about using a different type of fuel for our vehicles.
There are NO alternative fuels that will NOT deplete other resources, in other words, renewable fuels do not exist. That's why they changed the name from renewable to alternative and global warming to climate change.
You still do not understand "green switch"
This is a fee to pay an evil, rich Corporation to investigate energy companies that claim to use certain green technologies to produce the energy used in your home.
This is equal to a carbon credit, it's environmental profiteering at the expense of the ignorant environmental cult followers...........like Public school Teachers. 

[spunkloaf]

No, you don't understand green switch.

God dammit wow, you're fucking whacked out.  Pay attention now:

When exiting the home, the last one out simply switches the GreenSwitch to the off position.

    * A wireless signal is sent to all of the GreenSwitch™ slave components (wall plugs, light switches, and thermostat)
    * Designated light switches and wall plugs will automatically turn off.
    * The home's Air Conditioning/Heating System is automatically set to the unoccupied mode allowing for more energy efficient operating temperature range (set points). Set points may be programmed by the homeowner.

Upon Returning to the Home

Simply flip the GreenSwitch™ to the on position.

    * Wall plugs and Air Conditioning/Heating Systems will return to normal modes.
    * Light switches may be operated manually as needed for continued savings.

I'm not talking about switching to green power!!!!!!!!!!!!!  FOR THE LAST TIME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

So wow, do you religiously not recycle?  In effigy, do you leave on your lights all night and put up with an enormous energy bill?  Do you murder small furry animals?

[Vermouth]

The government of China doesn't care about the environment. That's clear from the state of their air, water and soil. They want the cheapest energy source available and have no problem doing business with brutal regimes to get it. But like everyone else, they know oil is a limited resource, and would of course be interested in switching to an independent, renewable source as soon as a viable one is developed.

Spunkloaf, I understand your impatience. The green switch sounds like a great idea. The idea of conserving energy is becoming more mainstream as energy prices rise, but we've not yet reached critical mass in terms of awareness and action. We've also yet to reach a consensus on what the alternative to fossil fuels will be. Lots of research needs to be done. There will be lots of trial and error.

Wow, even you crazy Texans are experimenting with turning ranches and depleted oil fields into wind farms. The famous Texas oilman T. Boone Pickens says "I have the same feelings about wind as I had about the best oil field I ever found." He is planning to build the "biggest wind farm in the world, a $10 billion behemoth that could power a small city by itself."

Texas surpassed California as the top wind farm state in 2006. In January alone, new wind farms representing $700 million of investment went into operation in Texas, supplying power sufficient for 100,000 homes.

Supporters say Texas is ideal for wind-power development, not just because it is windy. It also has sparsely populated land for wind farms, fast-growing cities and a friendly regulatory environment for developers.