Do something. Now.

Whether or not the oil runs dry in the next ten years, fifty years, or a hundred years really doesn’t matter. At some point, it will run out.

Oil is a finite resource: it has only been produced in useful quantities at very specific times in the Earth’s history, and only in certain places. Virtually everything in the modern world depends, somewhere along the line, on oil.

Oil is used as fuel of course, for things like motor cars, airplanes, and ships. Oil is consumed in the production of everything from pharmaceuticals and plastics through to the asphalt that cover our roads. Oil is also a prime source of fuel for power generators, and that electricity doesn’t just power things like home applicances and electric trains, but also the heating and lighting necessary for intensive farming, not to mention the myrian different machines in factories, hospitals, and shops.

The burning of oil is also a major source of greenhouse gases. While politians dither over trimming a percent here and a percent there as far as reductions in oil consumption go, the overwhelming majority of scientists maintain that climate change is a real problem with the potential to cause catastrophic harm not just to the global ecosystem but to humanity itself.

The problem for the politicians is that reducing carbon emissions — in other words using up less oil, gas, and coal — is virtually synonymous with reducing the size of a nation’s economy. Over the long term there may be new jobs in ‘clean industries’, but in the short term, cutting consumption of oil will end up putting pressure on the already-strained manufacturing sector in Europe, Japan, and the United States.

Almost inevitably, jobs in ‘dirty industry’ such as car manufacturing and steel production will migrate to countries that pay little or no heed to environmental management in their bid to become economic giants. China, in particular, is regularly singled out as a country with a poor record of environmental management as well as a skilled, inexpensive labour force — bad for the planet, but good for a business looking to avoid the high costs of production in a country with tougher environmental regulations.

Perhaps the best way to make a start in reducing oil consumption is for us, as consumers, to make some changes. They don’t need to be hard, and they certainly don’t need to be expensive. Here’s a few ideas:

1. Drive your car less often.

Obvious really, but do you really need to drive to the grocery store just to get some milk? Could you walk? Or cycle? A fit, healthy person can walk a mile in about 15 minutes. Doctors recommend that we each take around 30 to 60 minutes of physical exercise a day, and walking briskly is a perfectly valid option. So load up your iPod and stretch those legs!

2. Have the kids cycle or walk to school.

If the school is only a mile away, then they really don’t need to be driven there, let along be given cars of their own. Admittedly, in the harsh Nebraska midwinter walking isn’t much fun, but otherwise its good exercise for a generation of children and teenagers that are fatter and unhealthier than ever before.

3. Car-pool.

Next time you’re in a traffic jam, take a look at how many of those cars have only a single person in them. If all those people shared their cars, you’d practically half the number of cars on the road right there. Fewer cars, less traffic jams, and a quicker journey to work. So if you drive past a co-workers house every day, consider picking them up and driving them to work.

4. Use public transport.

Modern buses are among the cleanest motor vehicles around, and trains are even cleaner. Not all cities have good public transport, but many do, and if you live in one of them, one of the best things you can do for a healthier planet is to take the bus or train to work.

5. Increase energy efficiency at home.

Modern applicances are increasingly being sold on energy efficiency, which is a good thing. But surprisingly, one of the most wasteful items in the house has hardly changed in a hundred years: the light bulb. Light bulbs are very wasteful — the literally produce more heat than light. High-efficiency light bulbs are a better alternative; typically, an 11 Watt high-efficiency bulb produces as much light as a normal 60 Watt light bulb. These high-efficiency bulbs cost a little more, but last many times longer, recouping their cost very quickly. Ones used in busy rooms where they are used for several hours a day are estimated to save the user around $12 a year. Incidentally, lighting is estimated to account for around 5-10% of the electricity consumption in the developed world, the potential for reducing oil consumption here is truly vast.

6. Use a laptop computer.

Laptops use up much less energy than desktop computers. A fully charged PowerBook only draws about 20 Watts, rising to around 60 Watts while charging a battery. By contrast, most desktop computers regularly 100 Watts or more, and external monitors some more on top of that.

There are lots of other things we can do, and if you some ideas and want to share, feel free to add them in the comments section below.