I am not a fan on non-fiction and serious stuff in normal days. But when my eyes catch the glimpse of one red book in Kinokuniya in few months back, I know I need to get my thoughts on this one. Besides, I know I am not in my normal state of being so this one might be an exception.
So there goes my bargain.
The Last Oil Shock: A Survival Guide to the Imminent Extinction of Petroleum Man (pheww!)(website; amazon) is actually not really a heavy read albeit it is listed as non-fiction category. In bookshelf normally it placed among other seriously serious matter like Freakonomics and the Jack Welch series of ramblings. While I put a remark that it might not be a heavy read to you, it does have graphs, charts and theories to ponder upon your head while you read it. The main subject of the book is basically about the oil crisis of the world, the theory behind the reality of oil shock that could happen in our globe in near future (the author points out that it could be real soon), consequences and what we should do to get ourselves ready for it. Yeah, it sounds like a grad thesis for me at first, complete with references list and so on. Having myself graduating college with a scroll in engineering, it keeps me wondering why somehow I have problem understanding the technical concept mentioned in the book. But nevertheless, after few chapter, I managed to keep track and enjoy it a lot.
While the book specifically intends to remind the people of the world on how important to get ready real soon for the shortage of hydrocarbons (means that we should be in the state of panic by now), the author seems to act cool about it. There are few thoughts and theories regarding the oil companies exaggerate the oil production and prediction data just to cover up the truth, and yeah, they are all make sense. It getting me on my nerves to realize that the recent oil price hike is not necessarily domestic issues but of course, a global one.
While some people might think that hydrocarbons (petroleum, gas, coal and whatever contains carbons and useful) is basically covers your car fuel tanks everyday, it is actually more than that. The electricity, transportation, daily products, commercial heating/cooling and the list goes on, it just a nightmare to think that we are in shortage of oil real soon. Imagine living your life without electric, without transportation and many else. Sure enough, we'll be dead (or turning primitive again).
Not just the daily necessities and consumption, but the recent global warming and environmental issues also directly related to hydrocarbons. The excess of carbon dioxides in air is one of the main factor of global warming and that's the reason behind Kyoto Protocol. In conclusion, the world need to focus on how to be fully independent from hydrocarbons lifestyle (by renewable energy, sustainable society et cetera) so that we could handle the situation properly.
At the end of the book, the author suggests the reader on how to help to ease the oil shock (yes people, it is not merely the scientist, economist or policymakers job alone). Some of the good suggestions are:
a)Use your own shopping bags and stop using plastic (the time has come for us to get one decent shopping bag, a tote or whatever, be it by Tods or cheaper brands)
b)Use tap water instead of bottled water (not really applicable in Malaysia, utilities people, do something)
c)Get fit, lose weight (ride bicycle to work is said to be faster journey compared to driving your car, due to daily traffic problems)
d)Live within your energy budget (buy all the energy saving stuff, save on your monthly utilities bills)
Well there's lot more, but go read yourself. Mind you some of the book content inclined towards British folks, but since globalization has taken its place, we're after all in the same shoes.
0 comments:
Post a Comment