Well, its perhaps not so much that we're using them up, as it is we're polluting them up. Many of the most environmentally damaging activities are related to mining various minerals, most of which can be found on the moon. By shifting these industries to a place where pollution is irrelevant (because there's no life to disrupt), we are far more likely to help save ourselves. And yes OIL is a problem, mainly because we WILL run out, not to mention the deleterious effect burning fossil fuels has on the environment. The moon is a rich source of Helium-3, which is a fuel for nuclear fusion. The power needs of the earth can easily be met by mining the moon. Not to mention that is a great place to carry out dangerous research (biomedical, etc.) We need a settlement on the moon. It is inevitable.
The moon is the next logical step for humanity. Why? Because its close, mainly. A permanant base on the moon will allow us to reach the rest of the solar system easier. There are tons of resoures that can be tapped on the moon, helium-3, for instance. Once we are on the moon, Mars, Jupiter's moons, and the asteroid belt would seem like reasonable destinations for humanity. We are so rapidly using up our resources here on earth, that is no alternatives are found, we will be doomed. Sure the costs and teh risks are astronomical (no pun intended), but the rewards should surely outweigh any such cost. The trick will be finding someone to foot the bill in order to get started.
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Well, its perhaps not so much that we're using them up, as it is we're polluting them up. Many of the most environmentally damaging activities are related to mining various minerals, most of which can be found on the moon. By shifting these industries to a place where pollution is irrelevant (because there's no life to disrupt), we are far more likely to help save ourselves. And yes OIL is a problem, mainly because we WILL run out, not to mention the deleterious effect burning fossil fuels has on the environment. The moon is a rich source of Helium-3, which is a fuel for nuclear fusion. The power needs of the earth can easily be met by mining the moon. Not to mention that is a great place to carry out dangerous research (biomedical, etc.) We need a settlement on the moon. It is inevitable.
The moon is the next logical step for humanity. Why? Because its close, mainly. A permanant base on the moon will allow us to reach the rest of the solar system easier. There are tons of resoures that can be tapped on the moon, helium-3, for instance. Once we are on the moon, Mars, Jupiter's moons, and the asteroid belt would seem like reasonable destinations for humanity. We are so rapidly using up our resources here on earth, that is no alternatives are found, we will be doomed. Sure the costs and teh risks are astronomical (no pun intended), but the rewards should surely outweigh any such cost. The trick will be finding someone to foot the bill in order to get started.