Exactly. No one wants to think of "non-renewable resource" in terms of their lifetime, because it won't affect them directly. Especially (most) oil companies. The $ is rolling in, the folks calling the shots have a lot of pull, and the more we use the resource, the more they make. It will take something very serious before we see any shift. We're paying $3/gal for gas. What will it take?I guess that proves that oil is, by far, the most important fuel in today's economy. In the short run, there is absolutely nothing we can do that will significantly decrease our dependence on imported oil. In the long run we must eliminate that dependence.
To be fair, a few companies are attempting to be visionaries and search for alternatives. Shell Oil is one of the biggies at least putting forth an effort. Cost-effective is the key. Like oil shale. It's not cost-effective to extract yet, but the potential is huge.
More technology...investments...visionary thinkers and leaders (ha).
After 5 years on the front line of the public lands/fossil fuels battle out west, I learned that most of these corporations could care less what any of us think. They have a bottom line, and it trumps everything.