USA vs total world oil consumption.

[Snagglefoot]

In our quest to solve the world’s problems by moving to electric cars I just wanted to remind folks that the USA consumes 18 million bbls of oil per day but the total world consumption is closer to 100 million bbls per day. It’s sort of like establishing a no peeing section in the world swimming pool.

 

[wpod]

We have been brainwashed for decades. Tv watchers are easy to fool.

 

[Jetronic]

20% of the worlds oil consumption by 5% of it's population is another way to look at it...

 

[PWMDMD]

20% of the worlds oil consumption by 5% of it's population is another way to look at it...

Yup...and it's not like reducing 20% of the world's oil consumption would have an insignificant impact.

OP, 20% less pee in the pool is still 20% less pee in the pool.

 

[wemay]

Hardly an insignificant number.

 

[javacontour]

Both things can be true. Just getting our consumption in line with the rest of the world would be a significant change AND the rest of the world has to cut, but not as drastically to make real change.

What would be a more apt comparison is say comparing North America, Europe and Asia with respect to relative shares of consumption and population.

 

[MacManus99]

20% of the worlds oil consumption by 5% of it's population is another way to look at it...

There is more to consider with this statement. Americans rely on automobile transportation heavily, and in comparison, have to cover a longer distances than those that contribute to large portions of the world's population. Perhaps other transportation options for Americans would be beneficial in addition to reducing ICE?

 

[Astro14]

20% of the worlds oil consumption by 5% of it's population is another way to look at it...

Or, 20% of the world's oil consumption to create 20% of its GDP would be yet another way to look at it.

 

[BISCUT]

Dissecting one parameter is limiting. To make true change there needs to be a world wide consensus concerning multiple factors like oil consumption, coal, smokestacks worldwide, the damage China alone does to the environment with cement factories is a big one. Hard to do for sure.

We all have our own thoughts and feeling on this complex issue. I'd like to see some agreement on fishing. The world is overfished and many species of fish can multiply pretty quickly if fishing pressure is relieved. I'd also like to see the US significantly reduce coal use to generate electricity and move to more nuclear-based electricity generation.

 

[BMWTurboDzl]

In our quest to solve the world’s problems by moving to electric cars I just wanted to remind folks that the USA consumes 18 million bbls of oil per day but the total world consumption is closer to 100 million bbls per day. It’s sort of like establishing a no peeing section in the world swimming pool.

20 percent is a big number. On a per capita basis the US ranks number 2 behind Canada and is 8x greater than that of China. In any case the US is not alone with these policies. There's a strong argument that if these policies are not enacted Canada will become the 51st state.

On an aside the WSJ ran a good piece on melting permafrost. It's not just the fracturing of buildings but it's making mining* more dangerous and it appears there's an increase in large volumes of NatGas which spontaneously erupt through the surface.

*Mining companies are using refrigeration to keep columns frozen so the mine won't collapse.

 

[Jetronic]

Or, 20% of the world's oil consumption to create 20% of its GDP would be yet another way to look at it.

It wasn't a crack at US consumption as such. The EU has a very similar consumption for 750 million people, so it's not like we're holier than the pope.

Yet another way to lok at it would be: Oil = GDP

 

[4WD]

https://e360.yale.edu/features/desp... and global efforts to tackle climate change.

 

[Jetronic]

Coal they have, oil they have to import and supply is easily cut-off in case of war... it makes perfect sense given the current global situation

 

[PimTac]

https://e360.yale.edu/features/desp... and global efforts to tackle climate change.

China is experiencing a major power shortage right now. They will do what is the most expedient to get that fixed.

 

[DBMaster]

We have the largest military in the world, by far. I saw something recently indicating that Navy vessels alone consume an outsized percentage total U.S. consumption. Add that to the fact that we commute more and have few mass transit opportunities outside large concentrated population centers and it's pretty easy to see why reducing our consumption is going to be very challenging.

 

[JeffKeryk]

There is huge opportunity to lead the world, or to be a follower.
As a capitalist, I say develop the right products and the world will be our customer.

 

[Job]

Do what we have control over, lead by example, and don't point to the other guys. What about smaller countries, should they reach the same dead end street and say we are not the main %, so lets just forget about it.

 

[ron17571]

I thought we would be out of oil by now. Peak oil and such. I'm joking. This reminds me that I need to go fill up the truck today.

 

[Job]

I had a brother in law in Los Gatos who has a lot of money. He spends about $1000 per month on gas for his always new truck and the wifes always new Mercedes. It is necessary to have the image kept up. He drives a lot, and he drives hard. He says of the gas cost, "it's in the noise."
My mpg on the plug in from the day the factory started the odo is at 271 mpg. I hate putting $50-70 of gas in the T100. It doesn't take me that far either. So it sits.
Different strokes for different folks. It gets down not to just what countries each use, but what each person uses.

 

[K-Man]

One important thing about US oil consumption is that agriculture uses a lot of oil for farm equipment and chemicals, and US farmers historically have fed much of the world. We have exported a lot of grain and other foodstuffs. Those are products other countries importing US foodstuffs haven't had to produce themselves, so their oil consumption is artificially lower.

This whole subject has so many ifs, ands, and buts, plus loads of nuances...