A Crude Awakening: The Oil Crash

Film Review

   Written, directed, and produced by award-winning filmmakers Basil Gelpke and Ray McCormack, this documentary examines our dependency on oil and challenges us to view oil as it truly is—a non-renewable resource of finite supply.
   The United States was the largest oil producer for 100 years. Nostalgic TV commercials and clips
remind us of the post WWII mindset, the belief that American oil reserves in Texas were so plentiful
they would last for generations. Instead they peaked in the 1970s and have since dried up. The United States now produces 2% to 3%, but consumes 25% of the world’s oil.
   This film does connect politics and war with oil in a most convincing way, including WWI and WWII. Most of the oil today is located in the Middle East, and as the world’s largest consumers, we want access. What will we do to ensure it?
   Conservation and alternative energy sources are discussed—mostly dismissed. Oil consumption is so great today, they estimate 10,000 of the biggest nuclear plants would have to be operational to provide the same level of energy. The chilling footnote to this scenario is the fact that we would run out of uranium to support those plants in 10-20 years.
   Wind power was dismissed as providing only a fraction of the energy needed and solar energy was summarily dismissed as well, though the hint was made that solar energy may well be our
salvation. The case was made for our need to focus all of our resources on developing new technologies.
   The end of an oil based economy is coming. Production is peaking. Fifty-eight countries are producing less oil today than they did in the past. A Crude Awakening suggests the end is coming soon. We are woefully unprepared.
   This is movie is a “must see”. Watch it and share it with others.