It is much harder to get people to shift to greener, more sustainable lifestyles when they lack the facts about what is truly happening on our plant regarding resource depletion. I came across this great animated documentary called “There’s No Tomorrow” that talks about resource depletion and energy.
I must say this was a very informative short-film, and I recommend that it be shown to students in school. Why educate? For one, creating change is difficult when people don’t have a reason to, and secondly, people can’t change if they don’t know how or have alternatives to their already existing habits. This film will definitely promote awareness of the current state our planet is in with regards to natural resources and our demand for them. Here is some great (albeit, shocking) information that I learned from this film:
It took about 5 million years to create the fossil fuels that the world consumes in one year (one year people!). Since 1980, geologists have discovered two trillion barrels of oil; since then, the world has used approximately half. As predicted by M. King Hubbert, a geophysicist in the 1950’s, America’s oil production peaked in 1970 and entered a permanent decline.
New oil discoveries of today will only supply a few months of demand. 54 of the 65 major oil-producing nations have already peaked in oil production. Once the peak of world oil production is reached, demand for oil will surpass supply and the price of gasoline will fluctuate around the world.
Modern cities depend on fossil fuels; even roads and roofs require fossil fuels. Many communities are designed on the assumption of plentiful oil and energy; we can see that many residential and commercial areas are spaced far apart, requiring people to drive.
Fossil fuels are essential for plastics and polymers, which are key ingredients for computers, entertainment devices, and clothing. We are so dependent on oil and other fossil fuels that even the smallest disruption can lead to dramatic changes to our economy and our lives.
Now your head may be spinning with this incredible influx of information (and there’s more!), but the point is that humans are incredibly dependent on resources that are nonrenewable, and these fossil fuels are currently depleting, and some are almost gone completely. I encourage you to watch the film yourself and to share it with others.