Oil, this energy source (but not only) that dominates our economy

The oil is a source of energy indispensable today. It is present everywhere as fuel , fuel and raw material sought for industry (petro) chemical and plastics industry .

However, this hegemony is relatively recent, since the use of oil for industrial purposes is the end of the XVIII th century, to really prevail during the XX th century with the rise of the automobile and chemical synthetic).

Oil and its uses have led to a rapid technological development during the XX th century, and many people who think that without oil, it would not have been the same. The fact is that oil was a source of hydrocarbons abundant, convenient and easily marketable. Number of its derivatives can now be synthesized from other natural resources, even renewable. But the chemical industry have long focused on oil and its derivatives , at the expense of " green chemistry "and renewable resources sectors that must now catch up after decades of neglect.

Industrial development was largely based on oil, mainly for practical reasons and market opportunity. Today we realize the consequences of that choice, and yet it is slow to implement the alternatives . Ill-will and a vision of short-term profits. It is true that it is difficult to counter the financial power of multinational oil companies that work almost openly with the despotic regimes that enjoy the presence of oil on their territory, and who are willing to defend their interests in large reinforcement of corruption, disinformation, and powerful political lobbies. 

In fact, the main disadvantage of oil is probably his incredible dominance in the global economy, the fact that it is so ingrained in our culture we imagine that industrial hardly do without. So much so that many believe that there is no alternative viable. The depletion , however, show that they exist, but this time it will be too late to do ... and other technologies and energy sources will not be virtuous gained ground: the economic power of large tankers allows them to influence policies and best wishes to impose solutions that settle at the expense of environmental protection.