Media Deception Regarding Oil Depletion

While the American mainstream media is content to speak of “alternative energy sources” on occasion, it fails to provide information on oil depletion or realistic methods of delaying it. Although it is clear that world oil reserves will eventually be depleted, this is rarely mentioned by the media. Most energy-related articles and news features are presented in an environmental or economic context, and usually refer to “hybrid” vehicles, solar panels, ethanol, or wind power. The manufacture of plastic products is a major factor in the consumption of oil, yet the mainstream media rarely even mentions this fact, let alone advise against the purchase of unnecessary plastic-based items. It is also rarely suggested that less oil and oil-based fuels would be used for transportation purposes if unnecessary purchases were curtailed.

It appears that the only explanation for this behavior of the media is that it benefits their advertisers. While advertisers are content to have customers buy fuel-efficient vehicles or solar panels, they wouldn’t find it acceptable if a media outlet were to discourage the purchase of disposable digital cameras, for example. Even buying paper cups (which are produced from a renewable resource) rather than disposable plastic cups would help delay the depletion of world oil reserves. However, the media suggesting this would cause people to think about other ways of conserving plastic, which would also be unacceptable for advertisers. A few more examples of the wasteful and unnecessary products being mass-produced at present include disposable flashlights, disposable DVDs, and electronics of poor quality which fail within months.

If a quick depletion of world oil reserves is to be avoided, along with excessive pollution and waste, the media should alert viewers and readers to the negative consequences of purchasing such products. It should also encourage them to save enough money to acquire higher quality reusable products instead. While this may not benefit the economy or their advertisers at present, it would enable the economy to remain stable for a longer period of time before it is severely impacted by a lack of oil-based materials and fuel.

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