Forces Driving More
comfort of a home. The ad’s central message: “You don’t need to think
about the energy that makes our lives possible, because we do.”
There are no independent means for verifying how much fossil
energy remains. The government’s Energy Information Agency relies
on self-reporting. Their latest forecasts only extend “for the next twenty-
five years.”^ Our best indicator is looking back to how much oil has been
consumed.
Most crude oil still comes from legacy oil fields. Of the largest oil
fields, all but two were discovered prior to 970. While new discoveries
are common, the estimated reserves are much smaller than in the past.^
From recorded data, more than 0 percent of all petroleum ever used
was consumed in the last twenty-five years. Had the 00 recession not
occurred, the percentage would have been higher.
Alas, campaigns like ExxonMobil’s are treacherous. Whether we
think about it or not, the reality is that the world contains a finite sup-
ply of resources—oil, land, and water are limited. No matter what any
company or government promises, there are no free lunches.