How can we optimize the contribution of the younger generation to the sustainable development of the oil and gas

industry? Sustainability through Video Games The land we are on is slowly being destroyed and transformed into useless land of pollution with the leading cause being the wasteful usage of petroleum. Energypetroleum namely is a constant need in todays industrial world, and there is not yet any perfect substitute for the efficient, easily accessible and low cost oil and gas which are our economical backbone. The ever-increasing population translates to an increasing demand for energy. Thus we need to find ways to satisfy the energy needs of now and also of the future through sustainable development. This we cannot achieve overnight; it is a long process of constant planning and innovation. So long is the process that it is us of the younger generation who need to take the lead towards sustainability as we are the ones living in it now and for the foreseeable future. We need to truly become involve and work alongside experienced professionals to optimize our contribution to the sustainable development of the oil and gas industry. The way to empower the youth today is through a roughly divided 2 step program: 1) Create awareness & interest 2) Convert the interest into contribution towards a sustainable development of the oil and gas industry. To begin to create awareness, we need to shape and direct the way the future generation thinks so that they will take be responsible for themselves and the society around them. The way to do this is to organize activities such as science fairs, youth organizations where young generation can come together and deepen their understanding of the petroleum industry, as well as trips to oil extraction sites and places where horrific environmental damage has been caused (Lumpur Lapindo). To reach a larger variety of audience, the media should broadcast appealing and simple to understand documentaries focusing on the oil and gas industry, the theories behind it, the processing process, and the dangers it is facing. The second step is to implement the interest and awareness from the aforementioned step into their daily lives and their careers of the future. To do so, everyone involved regardless of career choice must truly care for the industrys future; this is what makes them valuable -when you love what you do-there is no limitations to what you can achieve. We need to tap into the things that the youth today are always in touch with: Technology. Since technology is created by people, then it is peoples responsibility to turn it on its head so that it leads us towards sustainability and away from destruction. Why not create a video game where players compete with each other to develop better systems/technology that is specifically adapted to the needs of a specific area to create sustainable development of oil and gas? The players equipped with a limited source of resource will have to consider every aspect of the

area- from the people living in that area to its environmental feasibility by means of statistical data. And to instill further commitment- the virtual amount of money will deplete if what has been built is not monitored/maintained. The player who achieves the lowest value of environmental impact at the end of a period of time will get a chance to transform his idea into working models of new methods to extract oil and gas. This development of video game will allow the players to grasp the idea of sustainability within the industry, long term planning of what they can do to help, and obstacles they will face. They will be a generation who constantly challenges themselves and the normal conventions which have become a mechanical routine; as a result, they will develop better efficient methods. Sustainability is not only about reducing the impact; it is also about creating a concrete long term plan where you know what the next step will be, and one which has considered various scenarios. The dire situation in which petroleum is consumed at such a fast rate that we may live to see it gone, demands us to put in action a whole new generation of empowered youth to stop this crazed race towards self-destruction. But the young generation must be taken seriously and their voices heard.