Here’s what might be called the Reader’s Digest version of petroleum’s story as a major world fuel source. The story ranges from little-known history – for example, did you know that the ancient Byzantines pumped flammable, oil-based mixture onto enemy ships? – to today’s mining of tar sands in Canada and shale oil extraction in North Dakota. This is clearly written from an environmental perspective, with plenty of attention to the hazards of black gold to climate change.
Here is an excerpt from Fuel Under Fire:
“In the United States, most of the petroleum Americans use (about 70 percent) goes to transportation fuel, so switching to electric and biofuel vehicles would go a long way toward reducing petroleum use. But what about the other 30 percent – the oil used for heating and for fertilizer, lubricants, detergents, paints, and plastics? Alternatives do exist. Solar and other renewable fuels can be used for heating, and some companies sell products that don’t contain petrochemicals at all. For example, scientists have developed bioplastics, made from the starch found in corn, wheat, potatoes, and other vegetables. After disposal, these plastics break down into harmless substances, with no ill environmental effects. These products and renewable sources of energy tend to be much more expensive than similar products made from petrochemicals, however, and are not widely used.”
(Twenty-First Century Books, 104 pp.)
