We are the only country in the world that still uses oil for heat directly in homes to any significant degree. THIS is an environmental crime.
Kuwait still uses heavy boiler fuel to distill every drop of drinking water used in the country, as far as I know. Admittedly, they are a small country....
If you live outside the utilities distribution area like I do, the only choices are propane, oil, or electric. When we built in 2001, we chose oil. Today, I'd look at ground loop geothermal with propane as a backup.
Many of us in this part of the county don't want natural gas service. With it would come water and sewer. With gas, water, and sewer come people. With people come those that don't like guns, burn piles, cows, and other things we take for granted.