ABSTRACT
Today, the American Petroleum Institute's 1972 adage “A nation that runs on oil can't afford to run short” takes on an ominous tone. What becomes of a nation that runs on oil when all the cheap oil is gone? Already, we see wildly fluctuating gas prices and an eagerness to find more oil without proper regard for the environment. We see landfills brimming with toxic materials, and billions of plastic particles clogging the world's waterways and choking out marine life. Unless we plan now for life beyond oil, this scenario will only worsen as oil runs out.
