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The Death Grip of Fossil Fuels

It’s better to burn out than fade away…until it kills you.

Angus Peterson
Edge of Collapse
6 min readJan 3, 2025

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The United States is hurtling toward an environmental disaster of unprecedented proportions, fueled — quite literally — by the explosion of oil and gas production within its borders. For all the rhetoric about addressing climate change, the reality is this: even under the ostensibly eco-conscious Biden administration, U.S. oil and gas production has surged to historic highs.

With the Trump administration poised to assume office, bringing with it policies designed to further entrench fossil fuel dependence, the country is on track to exacerbate an already dire ecological overshoot, accelerating its descent into collapse. This article examines the trajectory of oil and gas production, the systemic failures that enable fossil fuel companies to evade accountability, and the grim future that awaits under unchecked environmental exploitation.

The Fracking Boom and Its Consequences

In the last decade, the advent of hydraulic fracturing has revolutionized U.S. energy production. The United States has become the world’s largest producer of oil and gas, with output reaching new heights year after year. According to the Energy Information Administration, U.S. crude oil production averaged 12.3 million…

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Edge of Collapse
Edge of Collapse

Published in Edge of Collapse

Becoming collapse aware in the age of the permanent polycrisis.

Angus Peterson
Angus Peterson

Written by Angus Peterson

Becoming collapse aware in the age of the permanent polycrisis. Follow to get all the new stories: https://anguspeterson.medium.com/subscribe

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