In the United States alone, 95 percent of the country's original forest cover is gone, excluding Alaska. The United States also consumes 25 percent of the world's raw materials. Though it may not be obvious to the average person, this world is at a critical crossroads. All around the globe, people are being forced to think about extensive use of resources and their impact on the earth. Let's throw some more numbers out there:
While the United States is home to only 4 percent of the world's population, we demand 25 percent of the earth's remaining oil supply. This equates to a daily consumption of 20 million barrels of oil. What incentive do Americans have to use less when congressional subsidies to the oil industry come to 12 billion dollars? Where does all of this oil come from? There are approximately 50,000 oil fields in the world. Most of them are relatively insignificant as the largest 40 oil fields in the world hold 50 percent of the world's oil.
Most of these oil fields are located in the Middle East. The U.S. Geological Survey estimates with 95 percent accuracy that there are 2 trillion barrels of oil in reserves in the world. Two trillion barrels sounds like a lot, but is it really?
Theorist M. King Hubbert believes that problems will arise when the world has consumed 50 percent of its oil reserves. At this point, demand for oil will keep increasing, while supply will be steadily decreasing. When do Hubbert and others believe that we will hit this peak and problems on the world scale will begin to occur? Given calculations that take into account population growth and increased global oil consumption, it's projected that we will reach Hubbert's Peak in 30 to 40 years. The average Tufts student will be 50 to 60 years old; our children will be finishing up their own college educations and heading into the world.
Did you know that 96 percent of Egypt's population lives in the Nile Valley and Delta, which is four percent of Egypt's land mass? This incredible uneven distribution of people on land is bound to face more problems than it already does given that projected climate change is going to reduce the Nile's flow by 25 percent.
Sixteen of the twenty "dirtiest air" cities are located in China; 80 percent of China's water is unfit for human consumption. What implications will this have for China's emergence as the world's next economic powerhouse? Is such environmental degradation really an economic liability? China is not alone! We see similar problems plaguing more affluent countries. Australia has the least water per capita of any country in the world at 1000 meters/year/person. Turning to our world oceans: 75 percent of the global fish stock is depleted. There are more issues with our oceans than just food and food supply. Though it seems like a Disney movie, there were 445 piracy attacks in 2003.
Here they are; a few fun facts to change your life. No longer can we say, "This won't happen in my lifetime." As a world, we are united by an impending global dilemma that concerns our diminishing supply of natural resources and radically increasing demand for them. Oil and water are two of the most precious resources on earth.
The 2005 EPIIC (Education for Public Inquiry and International Citizenship) symposium on oil and water is a unique forum for discussing these facts' context with increasing relevance to all of our lives. This event promises five days of interesting, intriguing and educational events that will be highlighted in 13 panel discussions featuring 54 of the world's most educated and passionate people in the water and oil fields of study. Tickets are on sale for $5 for Tufts students. Get your tickets from any of the four locations on campus: the Campus Center, Dewick, Carmichael and Fletcher!
Shanti Sattler is a sophomore majoring in Peace and Justice Studies<$>
