We are about to experience a rude awakening from the closing of the Strait of Hormuz that will affect the lives of 8 billion of us living on this planet.
At the time of Christ there were about 170 million people on earth. It was an agrarian society. People derived their energy from burning coal and wood. They sustained themselves by practicing organic agriculture. The population growth was very gradual in the beginning. It took about 1800 years to reach the first billion.
Then humans discovered a highly concentrated source of energy – Crude Oil. The first commercial oil well was drilled on August 1859 in Pennsylvania. It changed the course of human civilization.
In the beginning the Energy Returned on Energy Invested (EROEI) factor on the gushing crude oil was as high as 100:1.
This energy bounty helped power our Second Industrial Revolution bringing us the internal combustion engine, cars, trucks, diesel locomotives, heavy machinery, ocean liners, airplanes, rockets and a myriad of synthetic materials like plastic, paint and lubricants that we depend on every day of our lives.
It also helped to usher in the Green Revolution. All our fertilizers are based on 3 elements – Nitrogen (N), Phosphorus (P) and Potassium (K).
Synthetic fertilizers are derived from Natural Gas. These fertilizers helped to double and sometimes triple the crop yield.
The extra food supply was possible by the use of the stored energy in fossil fuels. It helped to feed a growing population. The world population sky rocketed from 1 billion in 1804 to the 8 billion mark we are today.
20% of the oil and gas flows through the Strait of Hormuz. Oil is the life blood of modern civilization.
This was an unnecessary and unjust war. This could trigger the collapse of civilized society with the inevitable shortage of food and fuel.
8 billion humans have tremendous potential. May we have the wisdom to unite with one voice and stop this madness.
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