I recently came across an interesting advert by Chevron; the energy company. This was on the last page of Newsweek Magazine, June 5, 2006 edition. The advert claimed that a reduction in global energy use by 5% would be enough to power Australia, Mexico and the entire UK. Now that's something, if it is really true of course! I'll tell you why!

Just the mere thought of it stirred up something in me. It made me see the need for the governments, of this time, to lead on a serious energy saving campaign onslaught. For example, if those energy saving bulbs really work, why aren't the governments, of the time, phasing out the other energy wasters we have been using? Why are they leaving it at our discretion on whether to save or waste? I'm sure there are millions of people out there, who continue to use the incandescent light bulbs simply because they grew up using them and nothing else; not even the price.

The same advert moved me further when they said “We have a huge alterative source of energy all around us.” And that it was in the form of energy conservation. True that and clever that, I have to admit! They said that saving energy was the least costly new source of energy that man has easily at hand; which is also very true, I must say.
But what blew my mind or ignited my radar screens was the claim that a reduction of just 5% of global energy use, would save us the equivalent of over ten million barrels of oil a day! Now wait a minute! Or let chevron finish! They completed by saying “clearly, saving energy is like finding it. So how do we do it?”
These last statements alone made me switch off my radio and second computer. I knew right then that I wasn't actively listening to the radio and that it was of no value in writing this book. Neither was I using the other computer.

Now for the shocker! Just last night I was reading some article about oil. I got to understand that Saudi Arabia was the largest oil producer; with a production capacity of about 9.5 million barrels per day. So by reducing world energy consumption by 5%, Chevron was saying, we could eliminate Saudi oil from the oil supply equation and not feel a thing! Now that's really joining a dot! Read on to understand my drift.

An article in Newsweek magazine, by Christopher Dickey and Maziar Bahari (“Why Iran is Driving Oil Up,” May 15, 2006/May 22, 2006) reported that Iran—by virtue of having the world's second largest oil reserves—was holding the world at ransom and keeping the nuke stand-off alive. With high crude prices at its all time highest, Iran is able to keep its citizens happy and supportive of its wretched nuclear plans. At a price of $40 per barrel or below, that bubble bursts. And that has been proven. The low oil prices, in early 2009, raised brows in Iran.

And there comes the second riddle! Iran's daily crude output is about 2.5 million barrels. That's a whooping 7.5 million barrels less than the ten million barrels Chevron is talking about! Meaning this “International community-Iran nuke stand-off” can be sorted by simply putting off unnecessary lights and adopting other energy saving methods! Why didn't we think of that before! Just preparing to execute such a grand-plan will bring everyone to the negotiating table. After all, so what if we have to ride bikes for a month! Isn't it better than driving with the sword of Damocles, in the form of possible nuclear annihilation, hanging over our heads? Why do I suddenly feel guilty? By driving our cars unnecessarily, we've actually been slowly killing ourselves in more ways than one! Now that's another dot joined!

Despite having millions of cars running on earth today, transport manufacturers have to keep on churning out new products to continue earning profit. They have to continue making cars, and other mechanized modes of transport, in large numbers to even just break-even. Every other year or so, they have to make newer models to continue this demand and continue profiting from manufacturing. To them, the word saturation or end of the product life does not exist. And right in the midst of all this, there are scores of people who cannot afford “not” having the latest models. They look at spy photos of the cars and start ordering. It's no longer the need for transport anymore but the need for the latest status symbols.

Those who have last year's models want this year's models. Those who have no cars, wouldn't mind last year's models; but would prefer this year's or next year's models. To get satisfied, they hope to overtake the current kings of latest models somewhere along the way. And this demand must continue. The rich are so much gripped by this greed that they cannot afford not to have bits and snatches of all the latest machines. Some have entire fleets of top marques and still counting. All I can say is that a folly is in the details!

Just think about it. What if we mass produce alternative fuels cars? Very soon all the current fossil fuel cars will be obsolete and the world population will fast-track to acquire the latest versions which will have been very cleverly marketed. This is because, for the manufacturers of these goods, demand will have to be so astronomical to justify shareholder approval. We will need to forget any “mis-conceptualizations” or weakness of the new discovery. Those will be buried alive and anyone who dares bring it to the fore could be mixed with wet concrete and buried under the foundation of a forty story building. I'm pretty sure that can happen in certain places, if it were made there. I haven’t even gotten to nuclear power, and my editor is saying this is enough!

On the part of conservation, I wonder why my government is struggling to spread electricity into the rural areas, before turning off those massive diesel generators. Don't get me wrong! I'm for electricity in my mama's rural home. But if it means spending so much, in terms of infrastructure, to have electricity in her house for ten years only and then foregoing the luxury of motorized transport for life, then let it pass. My argument for African countries is that we ought to electrify the rural areas, but only after ensuring we aren't heavily—if at all—relying on diesel fuel to generate electricity. Doing it the other way is the proverbial process that puts the cart before the horse. This is what contributes towards Iran's nuclear program and the Iraq war too. Read the whole chapter and marvel at how we create wars and global tensions without knowing it. What a folly is all I can say!

Before I sign off this topic though, I just have one question for your consideration. If a Supreme Being really exists and wants us to desire and obey him, what tools would he use—that are readily at his disposal—to “self-willingly” get us do what he wants? Get the answers and we might commence the journey towards eternal bliss. The only thing that might stand in our way is "The Grand Counter Test"or some other yet to be discovered test. Read my book and get aquinted by my man smarting tips.

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