On 11 July 2008, the price of a barrel of oil reached a record $147.27 in
international trading. The Post Carbon Institute has identified this day to
symbolize the time when global peak oil production occurred. July 11th serves as
a reminder to start adapting to a post-petroleum world. All three charts
reproduced on Cascadia Artpost stamps are courtesy of TheOilDrum.com. The charts
illustrate respectively the peaking of world energy sources, trends in
population growth and oil production, and the decline of oil production in the
continental United States as well as Alaska.
In 2010, the uncontrolled release of oil and menthane from the Deepwater
Horizon well into the waters of the Gulf of Mexico is an environmental disaster
of unparalleled dimensions. Reliance on high-risk methods such as deep-water
drilling is a consequence of the peaking of global petroleum production. The
photos of distressed waterfowl shown on Cascadia Artpost artistamps were taken
by Charlie Riedel of the Associated Press off East Grand Terre Island on the
Louisiana coast, while the photo of the blue-gloved hand and the oil-covered
beach in the same locale appears courtesy of Greenpeace.
Will we learn any lessons from these events?
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