A strange online theory reinforces the false beliefs of people who deny that the changing climate is driven by humans' burning of fossil fuels.
As detailed in a years-old Reddit thread, it states that oil tycoon John D. Rockefeller "paid scientists" to use the term "fossil fuel" in reference to oil so it would be thought of as scarce, raising the price of the commodity. "Oil is a renewable energy source," the poster erroneously claimed.
The popular tale concludes that oil is more prevalent on Earth than any liquid but water and that it regenerates "faster than it can ever be depleted."
While there are kernels of truth involved — just like with many conspiracy theories — the tenets diverge wildly from reality. Foremost is the idea that humans will never run out of oil. As Live Science explained last May, oil has been extracted from the earth for 165 years — to produce gasoline, plastics, asphalt, and more — at a rate "far faster than it could ever be replenished."
Some oil, such as that in Antarctica, is inaccessible. There's also undiscovered oil, though the amount is not unknown: about 565 billion barrels, according to a 2012 U.S. Geological Survey estimate.
Multiple commenters pointed out that where oil comes from or how it is taken from the ground doesn't matter as much as the cost of the processes to obtain and use it.
The former is important because oil does abound; there is, however, only about 50 years' worth of it remaining in known reserves, Live Science reported. This projection "hasn't changed much" over the years, but it may once easy-to-find reserves are tapped. Demand for oil is also decreasing and expected to peak by 2030, per the International Energy Agency.
The use of oil, on the other hand, is especially concerning for the health of humans, wildlife, and the planet. Burning oil causes asthma, respiratory illnesses, heart attacks, and reproductive problems. It has also added vast amounts of heat-trapping, polluting gases to the atmosphere, harming air quality, rapidly warming Earth, and making extreme weather events more frequent and severe. This heating has happened since the dawn of the Industrial Revolution and has increased alarmingly in recent decades.
There is more information that further discredits this theory, too. Rockefeller was not even at the conference where his alleged bribe supposedly took place, as Full Fact explained. Attendees did not discuss the phrase "fossil fuel," either, which had been in use for 133 years. The Geneva Convention also did not happen in 1892, though the Geneva Nomenclature Congress did.
Reuters thoroughly debunked the theory, which has appeared in various iterations, in 2021 as well.
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Do you think misinformation is a major problem in America today? Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. |
Definitely 💯 One commenter called it "misinformation on top of misinformation."
"This is truly the final stage of fossil fuel industry shilling," someone else stated.
Another issued a challenge: "Good. That indicates you should be able to buy depleted oil fields for cheap and start pumping oil again. Let us know how that works out for you."
To invest in real renewable energy, install solar panels or sign up for a community solar program. This will lower your utility bills and help roll back the damage done by oil and other fossil fuels. Spread the word by talking with family and friends so they aren't hoodwinked by social media nonsense.
"Weird…we're constantly needing to dig deeper or use new tech like fracking to get it out," one person wrote. "So renewable or not it's not going to make it to the surface fast enough once it depletes."
Another said, "Yes we should trust the people who covered up their effect on global warming. The people with a stranglehold on the lifeblood of the planet have our best interests at heart."
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