Here is my response : Nothing to be worried about. The world is just going through an Energy Transition (also known as a Energy Transformation). In the early 1800's the US used wood for most if its energy needs. by the end of the1800's the US used coal for most if its energy needs. The period of time in which people changed from one to the other is called an Energy Transition. Yes, it was difficult and expensive for the people to make the change, but in the end they were better for it. In the early 1900's the US started to use petroleum instead of coal. Once again the US had to go through a painful energy transition, but we survived and came out of the change better for it. Here we are at the beginning of the 2000's, once again faced with a new energy transition. It was inevitable and we will get through it, painful as it might be, better than we were before. In the past 50 years there were few alternatives to petroleum simply because they cost more than petroleum. Why aren't the automakers mass producing alternative fuel cars? Simple: It costs more to produce and handle alternative fuels than it does petroleum. HOWEVER, once the cost of petroleum products finally exceed the price of alternative fuel sources, the economy will make a very rapid shift toward to use of these alternative. Once enough people start using these new fuels, the laws of mass production will drive the prices down - ironically they will end up lower than petroleum is now. Yes, this is a very painful time for us all. It hurts when we fill up at the pump, but once the Energy Transition is over we will be far better off than we are now. We will have access to better fuels with less dependence on unstable regions of the world, more efficient vehicles and a more clean environment. http://www.mnforsustain.org/energy_in_the_united_states_1635-2000.htm
