Ads Hint at Peak Oil

November 20, 2005

I was browsing through the New Yorker this evening and noticed two ads which I suspect would not be there if it weren’t for impending peak oil. The first is from Chevron (p. 9), urging us to conserve energy. It includes this note of concern:

Because of surging economies in the developing world and continued growth among the industrialized nations, global energy use is soaring. As a result, supplies are tight. Prices are rising. And energy users are calling for viable alternatives.

Methinks Chevron is worried. I wonder how long it will be before we see “peak oil” or a similar term show up in an oil company ad.

Three pages later is a Ford ad touting their planned production of 250,000 hybrids a year by 2010 – something one would think they and other companies wouldn’t bother with if they didn’t need to do something to save oil, and fast.

Don’t get me wrong. I support these steps toward energy conservation. But we need to look, as well, at some hard questions, not the least of which is why on earth we would build suburbs with peak oil looming. That is one mammoth misstep in any community’s planning in 2005, and is a step we need to rethink before we regret it.

Posted by John Feeney
Filed in Environment, Sustainable Development
6 Comments »

6 Responses to “Ads Hint at Peak Oil”

  1. mattie Says:

    November 21, 2005 at 5:55 pm

    Not to put a bummer on it, but I’m inclined to believe that both the ads you saw are more likely examples of greenwashing than actual attempts at fostering sustainable energy habits. Ford definitely is no angel. Despite their introduction of hybrids into their product line, their cars get less average MPG than the original model T. How’s that for progress?

  2. John Says:

    November 21, 2005 at 7:07 pm

    Well, shoot, you may well be right. I’ve seen some on the Net interpret the campaign that Chevron ad comes from as a subtle concession of peak oil around the bend. But it could just as well be greenwashing, as you suggest. And that’s a very troubling statistic concerning the Model T.

    I hope such companies are doing something to prepare for the end of cheap oil. If not, it will be fascinating (in a kind of horrible way) to see how a car company copes with it when things get really tight. Are they even concerned that it will affect car sales down the road (so to speak)?

    Thanks for commenting!

  3. Carrie Says:

    November 28, 2005 at 1:21 pm

    It’s also possible that our oil company friends are trying to minimize their legal liability when the catastrophic effects of climate change become directly scientifically demonstrable and the tort lawyers start looking for the guilty parties (as is already happening back east – http://www.climatelawsuit.org/).

    If you’re really concerned about peak oil and climate change, may I suggest joining the Iowa Renewable Energy Association (http://www.irenew.org)? I’m the vice president, but I don’t get any kickbacks for new members.

  4. John Says:

    November 28, 2005 at 3:33 pm

    Looks like a good organization. (Iowa Renewable Energy Association) We haven’t touched on climate change here, but it is of course closely linked to the other issues we’ve covered. In my opinion, the best site for day to day coverage of it is RealClimate.

  5. Carrie Says:

    November 29, 2005 at 9:24 am

    In this year’s policy agenda, I-Renew will be pushing smart growth, walkable cities and public transport in Iowa as system-level responses to the challenges of climate change, peak oil, and rocketing energy prices. We’ll be taking our policy goals to the governor’s office in December or January. I think society is slowly working toward a new, sustainable model that will get us past some major bumps in the road ahead. We’re all part of that.

  6. John Says:

    November 29, 2005 at 11:27 pm

    Thanks Carrie. I should be wearing an I-Renew T-shirt soon. :mrgreen:


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