The Cost of Petroleum & Population

If Hong Kong was to take action on climate change, what responsibilities should each of the following have?

Mankind face a great challenge in reducing the terrible air pollution problems that exist in most cities. This pollution damages buildings, crops, and forests. This pollution is responsible for increased health cost ie: respiratory ailments, carbon monoxide causes heart trouble, and nervous system difficulties.

One difficulty to overcome in breaking down the prejudice against Neighborhood Electric Vehicles (NEV) is ignorance of the inefficiencies and ecological costs, as well as economic costs, caused with a petroleum-based economy. Not all of the opposition is a deliberate attack on NEVs. Many people are simply afraid of change. They don’t stop thinking about the inefficiencies, inconveniences, and other drawbacks of the lifestyles that they have become accustomed to.

NEVs are also good for the economy. Increasing the average fuel efficiency of gasoline cars to 50 miles per gallon is bad for the economy. It’s better to have extra dollars in your pocket and then have to pay a thousand dollars in health care costs because of air pollution. Putting short-term economic gains above long-term gains creates a lot of problems.

Of course most of us know by now that NEVs offer the best hope of a solution to many, though certainly not all, problems caused by gasoline cars and trucks. An increase in the use of solar, wind, and other renewable and non-polluting forms of electric-power generation would continue to improve the outlook. There is definitely reason for optimism here. But we must also be realistic. NEVs and the production of the power to run them do cause some environmental problems, too:

Global Primary Energy Consumption by Source in 2009:

35% Oil
29% Coal
24% Gas
7% Hydro
5% Nuclear
0.42% Renewables

Population

Some time in the year 2011, the Earth’s human population is expected to reach seven billion. By 2045, global population is projected to reach nine billion. Almost half the World – over 3 billion people – lives on less than $2.50 a day. At least 80% of humanity lives on less than $10 a day.

Unless population growth can soon be brought under control, however, the possibility that we can maintain breathable air is nil. There is a vicious cycle that starts with more people, who demand more goods, which requires the conversion of more natural resources into more products, which unavoidably creates more pollution of our environment.

In order to break this vicious cycle we must develop a new philosophy of life. As individuals we must now begin to consider the ecological consequences of ALL of our actions. As a society of careless individuals we have recklessly degraded the quality of our air. As a society of environmentally aware individuals we are now faced with the consequences of our carelessness, and it remains to be seen whether we shall be equal to the monumental task of preserving our air.