The Signs of Petroleum Addiction

by Alexandra von Meier

Rohnert Park, CA

As we grapple with questions about causation and cures in the war against terrorism, many sensible voices have begun to call for a critical re-examination of our nation's oil use. The case seems clear enough. Whether you look at Middle East politics, energy economics, or environmental science, all signs point in the same direction: Consuming less petroleum would be good for America. Yet somehow we manage to resist the most compelling evidence and, despite the urgency of other wartime actions, are loath to change our relationship with fossil fuels. Why?
In search of an answer, we must not only follow the money, but also look at the psychology of our dependence on oil and consider the clinical meaning of the term "chemical dependency." However unappealing the idea, let's give some serious thought to the analogy between oil use and drug addiction. The similarities are both striking and revealing.

Fossil fuel is a marvelous substance that compresses the energy from countless years of photosynthesis into a most concentrated form that is extractable at will in mere seconds, giving us power far beyond our intrinsic biological capacity. It offers society the rush of moving fast and feeling strong, like the high of stimulant drugs that fills our bodies and minds with a jolt of energy borrowed from next morning's hangover.

The attraction is undeniable, but overindulgence has its price. Appearing in different degrees of severity, the characteristic behaviors of addiction progressively depart from good health and common sense.

An early sign of trouble is losing our sense of measure, as in knowing when it's time to put the chocolate ice cream away. Likewise, do we know when our cars are big enough?

Another sign of unhealthy use is that we automatically go to the substance in response to any stressful situation - for example, greeting bad news by immediately reaching for a drink. Analogous behavior could be seen in our government's knee-jerk reaction to the energy crisis last year: Prices up? We must need more fossil fuels. (And this despite evidence that our resource portfolio is already too lopsided.)

We begin to fear that we cannot function without the substance: How can I be productive without my caffeine? And how can the economy keep running without oil?

To permit consumption we become willing to endure conditions that would otherwise seem patently absurd. Think of smokers shivering outside in the rain, and then think of commuters in traffic, inhaling noxious fumes while imprisoned by a sea of infuriatingly motionless bumpers.
To enable substance use, we also entertain company we would not otherwise seek out - like partying with the bad kids, or dealing with undemocratic governments of oil-rich countries.

At some point, we worry about our stash running out, and plot or panic about where to go next. Thus geologists look to oil shale and tar sands out of which, with enough effort, we could squeeze some more drops of the precious fossil fluid - a prospect somewhat reminiscent of a desperate cocaine fiend combing through the carpet for any lost crumbs.

When adverse side effects of drug use appear, the addict tends to deny them. This is a classic: I don't have a drinking problem. And global climate change isn't real. Any questions?

Finally, addiction distorts our sense of value and priority as we become utterly preoccupied with procuring the substance. Drilling for a few more months' worth of oil from Alaska's pristine wilderness might be compared here to a junkie pawning a precious family heirloom to secure another fix.

Such behavior may provoke moral outrage or contempt, and yet the only helpful response can come from a compassionate understanding that what we are dealing with is not a character flaw but a disease. Fellow Americans, let's face it. We are suffering from Petroleum Abuse Disorder, and it's time to go into rehab.

The good news is, safe and effective treatments exist, and they're available over the counter. A splendid variety of technologies for energy efficiency and the conversion of renewable resources are proven, affordable, and ready when we are. With their help, we can get our economy through the initial withdrawal pains and into recovery to become cleaner, healthier, and stronger than it seems possible from our current haze. How far do things have to go out of control before we admit that we need to change?

Dr. Alexandra von Meier is a professor of energy management and design at Sonoma State University.