American drivers are becoming more mustashian

[deborah]

I this article http://www.canberratimes.com.au/comment/the-prospects-for-action-on-climate-have-never-been-better-20150624-ghwqbi.html it says:

The average amount of oil per person consumed in the world peaked back in 1979. Since then, using less oil per person every year, living standards have risen substantially in the developed world and dramatically in the world's most populous countries, India and China.

Oil's decline has been the result of a long-term trend to more fuel-efficient vehicles and, more recently, a reduction in the average distances driven, as more and more journeys have been displaced by electronic communications. The United States has seen the most dramatic declines, both because of mandatory fuel efficiency standards and, since the mid 2000s, because of a decline in the average distance driven by Americans.

[Mississippi Mudstache]

It sounds exciting, but you'll notice that they made a highly qualified statement:

The average amount of oil per person consumed in the world peaked back in 1979.

They conveniently ignore that the population is still growing and will continue to do so for at least 3 or 4 decades, and that other fossil fuels took over when oil production dipped. Total oil consumed in the US briefly surpassed the 1979 peak in the mid-2000s, coal use never saw so much as a blip in its steady march upwards until the 2008 economic crisis, and natural gas consumption is at an all-time high and still trending upward. The Fukushima disaster was a severe setback for nuclear power. It's great that photovoltaics are becoming so cheap, but frankly, the scale of the problem is simply intractable. I hate sounding so defeatist. I'd love to believe that we could make real progress in combating climate change, but I don't see it happening any time soon. Incremental change just isn't going to help much. Sigh. Now I've gone and depressed myself. I should just remember that it'll really be my kids' and grandkids' problem to deal with, that's what everyone else does to make themselves feel better, right?

[daverobev]

It sounds exciting, but you'll notice that they made a highly qualified statement:

The average amount of oil person per consumed in the world peaked back in 1979.

They conveniently ignore that the population is still growing and will continue to do so for at least 3 or 4 decades, and that other fossil fuels took over when oil production dipped. Total oil consumed in the US briefly surpassed the 1979 peak in the mid-2000s, coal use never saw so much as a blip in its steady march upwards until the 2008 economic crisis, and natural gas consumption is at an all-time high and still trending upward. The Fukushima disaster was a severe setback for nuclear power. It's great that photovoltaics are becoming so cheap, but frankly, the scale of the problem is simply intractable. I hate sounding so defeatist. I'd love to believe that we could make real progress in combating climate change, but I don't see it happening any time soon. Incremental change just isn't going to help much. Sigh. Now I've gone and depressed myself. I should just remember that it'll really be my kids' and grandkids' problem to deal with, that's what everyone else does to make themselves feel better, right?

Didja see the news article saying we're in/entering another mass extinction event?

Sigh indeed.

[GuitarStv]

No they're not.  They're still driving.

[Mississippi Mudstache]

It sounds exciting, but you'll notice that they made a highly qualified statement:

The average amount of oil person per consumed in the world peaked back in 1979.

They conveniently ignore that the population is still growing and will continue to do so for at least 3 or 4 decades, and that other fossil fuels took over when oil production dipped. Total oil consumed in the US briefly surpassed the 1979 peak in the mid-2000s, coal use never saw so much as a blip in its steady march upwards until the 2008 economic crisis, and natural gas consumption is at an all-time high and still trending upward. The Fukushima disaster was a severe setback for nuclear power. It's great that photovoltaics are becoming so cheap, but frankly, the scale of the problem is simply intractable. I hate sounding so defeatist. I'd love to believe that we could make real progress in combating climate change, but I don't see it happening any time soon. Incremental change just isn't going to help much. Sigh. Now I've gone and depressed myself. I should just remember that it'll really be my kids' and grandkids' problem to deal with, that's what everyone else does to make themselves feel better, right?

Didja see the news article saying we're in/entering another mass extinction event?

Sigh indeed.

I did. It's good to confirm it scientifically, I suppose, but I assume it's news to no one.

[GuitarStv]

Unfortunately, the only people that the mass extinction will be news to don't believe in science anyway.

[forummm]

I'm pretty sure the number of miles Americans drive has been steadily increasing. It's just that the oil usage hasn't because we have mandated more and more efficient cars. I think "typical" used to be 8,000 miles per year, then 10k, then 12k, and now people talk about 15k. I'm on pace for about 4500, and they are all electric :)