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What nonsense -- the idea that we need to conserve the earth's resources for a sustainable future. First of all, there is so much carbon fuel in the ground that we would be hard pressed to exhaust even the easiest to extract portion in a thousand years. There is a 50 year proven reserve of oil with more being discovered every day -- the problem is that environmental activists have convinced lawmakers to put much of it off limits.
Our consumer econiomy, most notably since the 1950's, is what has given us our high standard of living and an education system that is leading us to advanced energy technologies, such as fusion reactors -- which will be available long before we use up even the most easily obtained oil and gas.
Indeed, it is the rich energy-consuming countries that lead in every category of advancing the interests of people and the environment. It is simply reckless and irrespopnsible to suggest that we should become poorer to become more responsible