Is it POSSIBLE to completely replace petroleum?

Well, what if we figure out how to make things work without electricity or if we find other means of insulation that are just as effective? I know it sounds impossible and unlikely, but what if? I'm just trying to think completely outside of the box because that's where the next big thing is going to hit us from.

 

Transferring energy from one place to another in a controllable way is very difficult. Electricity also has the advantage of easily being transferred into other forms. We could hypothetically transfer energy through fibre optic cables however incredibly intense light would have to be generated to achieve the power of even very low voltage supplies. Then how do you transform that light into sound for speakers or heat for cooking (though I guess your sorted for lighting). Electricity scores very highly in both transferability and that ability to turn it into something useful at the end. It is however very hard to store which is the downside of using electricity as an energy source.

 

if we do end up replacing oil with a product of something that is grown, how long will it be until we begin running out of fertile land?

 

There are some groups that are working on designing bacteria such that their waste products are a polymer. I posted about it a while back. Even better, it would be great if someone could make a bacteria that actually off of old plastic and converts it to something useful.

Regarding excess plastic, it would be cheap and easy for the government to issue every citizen a couple of netted bags to do their shopping with. Those things last forever and it would save million of tons of plastic bags every year. It's a great idea, therefore the chance of it being implemented are zero.

Beside, it's below the diginity of the current administration to even hint to people that they should conserve. I have yet to hear the word uttered.

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Regarding waste, I like the old Flintstones cartoons back in the 60s, especially the episode where Fred and Barney went into the restaurant business. The wholesaler told them they had to buy a ton of Brontosaurus beef and two tons of parsley. Barney asked, "Why should we buy two tons of parsley?" The wholesaler replied, "Don't you guys know anything? So the customer can throw it away!"

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I doubt this