Economic Realities?

How does an economic system based on the concept of ever-expanding markets thrive in a world of shrinking resources? Is it the case that the basic principles of capitalism are at odds with the fundamental realities of our finite existence? Can the economic platforms of the United States (and much of the "western world") be realigned with the planet itself? If these realities are not brought into line with one another, is our future necessarily bleak?

A quick reality check: the United States consumes roughly 20 million barrels of oil a day, while producing a little over 8 million barrels a day . . . China, the second greatest consumer, swallows up about 7 to 8 million and this number grows as the Chinese economy grows . . . The Law of Supply and Demand suggests prices will continue to rise as demand increases and supply decreases . . . Meanwhile, the U.S. purchases the products of China and China loans out the money needed to keep the U.S. economy plodding along in order to consume . . . Debt and Consumption.

I am not in the most optimistic of moods today: a number of global puzzle pieces seem to be collapsing inwards/outwards, and I am genuinely uncertain how long the good times can last. I don't believe in the end of the world, but I do believe in cycles of rise and fall . . .