Come on a tour of our interactions with oil – from the first oil wells to the present day – and just about every use of oil – from industry to bubble bath.
VFUU shows how we use oil and the economic and environmental costs of doing so.
But don’t worry it is not a heavy book laden with jargon, conspiracy theories and vitriol.
It gives oil, and the oil industry, the credit it deserves for making our lives historically healthy and wealthy.
It also shows that it would be wise to use less oil.
And it gives some fabulous examples of people who have just got on with the job of taking oil out of their lives.
Readers have commented on its lively, pacey tone, and it explains every bit of terminology in everyday English.
I love to learn and to pass on what find. When I started to find out about oil, it was natural to start writing about it - and things span out of control
I like this little paragraph - for me it sums up the ethos of the book. There is some data showing an opportunity to reduce oil consumption. There is a (fairly pointed) expose of the reasons supermarkets blast us with cold air and a touch of humour highlighting the ridiculous nature of the situation.
Book Excerpt
The VFUU Price of Oil
Fridges, while not ‘transport’, are essential to getting food home safely, and use a lot of energy. Supermarkets use between 10% and 50% of their energy for keeping food cold. They can reduce energy costs by putting doors on their fridges and freezers. They do not, because they think we will shop elsewhere if we have to open doors to get our sausages and chips. Bizarrely, several major supermarkets have said the government must make doors compulsory by law; then energy-saving supermarkets will not lose out to non-energy-saving supermarkets. We must garner some sympathy for our politicians as they will take a pounding when the Queen announces the Fridge Door Bill.
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