the world as a whole consumes 58,000 barrels of oil per minute, every minute, of every hour, of every day.
Private car ownership in China is growing at the rate of 30-40% per year.
We might very well have already hit the stage of "Peak Oil"-when we have maxed out new petrochemical discoveries and resources, on a global scale. Some say it has already happened; some say it will happen in 10 years, 20 years...but there is no disagreement that oil is a finite resource, that will eventually peak and run dry.
Paul Salopek, International Affairs correspondent for the Chicago Tribune, created a documentary series that traced the sources of oil for one small gas station in suburban Chicago. The oil was pumped from all parts of the world, and affected lives in every area it passed through, in all stages of production. This is the most important conversation of the present day, hands down; a conversation that affects every facet of life for all global citizens. Salopek, a visionary, wrote and produced this special back in 2006 when oil was 60$ a barrel.
www.chicagotribune.com/news/specials/
"All of our lives around the world are interconnected through this nexus of oil. It keeps our civilizations alive.
"We have not done enough planning to buffer the period between when the oil becomes uneconomical and the point at which we discover alternate strategies and technologies. There is going to be a gap. And that gap is what worries many experts....we are in a pickle when it comes to sustaining our profligate energy lifestyles. We need to rethink our lives. "
-Paul Salopek, International Correspondent, Chicago Tribune
