Untitled: We owe a lot to coal, oil and natural gas
By Medicine Hat News on July 25, 2017.
This is part one of a three-part series on climate change. Part two will appear in Wednesday’s News. Fossil fuels have been the greatest gift to humankind. This cheap, plentiful, stable and powerful energy source is the foundation for the incredible speed of humankind’s development. Almost every remarkable human achievement over the past century can be traced to fossil fuels. It has become fashionable to disparage and lament our use of fossil fuels so perhaps it is time for a refresher on what we owe coal, oil and natural gas. Over the past century farming has become more and more efficient and continues to do so. According to Stats Canada, in 1931 31.7 per cent of the Canadian population were farmers. By 2006 only 2.2 per cent of our population were farmers. This leap of efficiency is due to fossil fuels. Anyone who has tried to plough a field with a horse versus a tractor will understand the power of these tools. When humankind initially made the switch from hunting and gathering to farming it allowed these newly organized societies to divide labour into specialists. This was a huge leap for humankind. The farming improvements of the 20th century have allowed our society to make a similar leap as it has allowed for greater specialization. Think of the progress in science, medicine and healthcare. When people are free to dedicate their lives to a single pursuit we have seen incredible genius. We have wiped out polio. We have put humans on the moon. Infant mortality in Canada dropped from 98.7 deaths/1,000 births in 1921 to under 5 deaths/1,000 births today. This is all due to the way we’ve been able to organize our society. The internal combustion engine, the main tool for harnessing fossil fuels, has democratized this power. This invention can be scaled up or down. It is relatively easy to repair. Thus travel around the world and you find self taught mechanics who were able to take things apart, understand how they work, and put it back together. The relative simplicity and ease of use of these machines have improved the quality of life for untold millions. It is hard to overstate how wonderful the internal combustion engine is. The internal combustion engine has democratized travel. Once only something reserved for the very rich, now millions more are able to do. Canadians can drive across this great country and meet other Canadians. We can travel around the world and meet other people and new cultures. It has allowed immigration like never before. This invention literally brought the world together. That has allowed us to see that we are all not so different. This progress would not have been possible without the internal combustion engine. This newfound power has allowed the human population to explode from 1.6 billion in 1900 to more than 7 billion today. Some may lament this. I do not. Human consciousness is the most remarkable achievement in this history of this Earth. Yes we have competed with other species and they have lost. But I would trade a human for a dolphin any day. Here at home in Alberta fossil fuels have made us rich. The royalties from oil and gas have supported healthcare, education, and the arts. Oil and gas companies have supported their communities with untold grants and donations. It is the height of hypocrisy to accept this money then turn around and demonize fossil fuels. When I’m pumping gas for my car it’s easy to forget the long road this petrol has taken to get to me. The men and women in this industry often work far from home, in rough conditions—winter and summer. It is hard and dangerous work. This work underwrites our entire way of life. We should recognize, remember and respect what fossil fuels have done for us. @KrisSamraj is a writer. He’s going to favour us with some words from time to time. 11-10
