The world in general, and the U.S. in particular, have a lot of room for improvement in oil and gas consumption. However, modern life relies on oil, gas, and derived products in countless ways that mostly don't yet have suitable or scalable alternatives. You are relying on computer and telecommunications components derived from oil and gas just to read this post, and if you look around you right now, you will likely spot many products that involved oil and gas in some way, such as the materials that they are made from, the power used to manufacture them, or the packaging that they came in. In addition to products themselves, we are served by an oil-and-gas-fueled global transportation network that continuously operates to efficiently distribute materials, equipment, supplies, consumer goods, and food products around the world.
Alternative energy sources can reduce oil and gas needs, but they provide only partial solutions. For example, a solar panel or a windmill can generate electricity, but can’t provide a substitute for petrochemical products or power an airliner (at least not yet). Ethanol, which is produced mostly from corn in the US, is blended into gasoline, which reduces gasoline needs. However, ethanol also emits some pollutants, and large-scale corn cultivation has significant environmental issues of its own including water use, erosion, fertilizers, and pesticides. If we could snap our fingers and all motor vehicles would magically convert to electrical power, we would need even more natural gas to generate the required electricity. Currently, about 40% of US electricity is generated from natural gas and 20% from coal, and there are no other sources of energy as rapidly scalable to meet increased demand. Also, electric vehicles themselves include petrochemical components such as plastic parts and synthetic-rubber tires.
Thus, those who denounce all oil and gas production need to give the issue additional thought, including the ways that they rely on the benefits of oil and gas in their own daily lives. Those who recognize the need but oppose drilling and production in the U.S. also need to reconsider. Oil and gas consumed in the U.S. that is not produced in the U.S. would be imported from elsewhere at our productivity and financial loss and their gain. Also, a large portion of world oil is exported from volatile regions and adversarial nations. We don't want to be in a position where we might have to experience how fragile imported supplies can be.