Fossil Fuel Follies

You must think it’s funny how everyone these days is furiously trying to replace the burning of fossil fuels with natural, renewable forms of energy. Why did we take the easy way out so many decades ago? Did we not see the mighty sun, hear the roaring wind or feel the warmth from the earth beneath our feet?

Sure, there were a couple dozen windmills and water mills in olden times, but the Industrial Revolution and invention of the automobile quickly made those irrelevant. We now think nothing of drilling several miles below the sea to extract oil and build refineries that rival the space program in their complexity. Plus, oil is filthy. I ruined a favorite sweatshirt once because I did not take adequate precautions.

Personally, I would have given humans 5-7% more intelligence. With that little boost, I’m sure we would have discovered economically viable ways of tapping into renewable energy – and avoided digging into the bowels of the earth in order to power choo-choo trains and whatnot. This would have prevented many coal mining deaths, much air pollution and at least one soiled sweatshirt.

I can hear you laughing because from your vantage point, this fossil fuel craze has all taken place in a cosmic eye-blink. A century from now, we’ll be using energy in ways we cannot envision today – and you will have experienced the equivalent of clearing your throat. In some respects, I can’t wait to die, join you in your heavenly abode, and see the big picture. I am so jealous of you!