Oil peak - what do you think?

If you aren't familiar with this...here's a couple of links:

http://www.lifeaftertheoilcrash.net/

www.hubbertpeak.com

My first poll, so it may be crude. Also, post other links if interested.

:hi:

I think 1 and 3 are certainly orthogonal

I think by 2054 we will have made some necessary adjustments, but the world will look totally different. Really, it's the next 15 years that are going to be scary.


http://www.brant.net/gvmr/electric.htm

plus Bu$h makes it a lot worse.

We need sweeping rethinking of our uses of energy.

Lawmakers can't do it all by themselves.

Every use of fossil fuels needs to be put on the table and evaluated. Every alternative energy source needs to be researched, and the good ones researched some more and encouraged.

Tax laws need to be changed.

Road building needs to slow down, and other kinds of transit encouraged.

Towns need to be built for walking, bike riding, segway riding, whatever -- whole villages.

Instead of being rational and planning for our old age and our children's well-being, our practice is to use up fossil fuels for things like Hummers, and the world's largest military (we're talking planes and ships and transports and tanks etc etc).

Instead of John Wayne or Rambo thrashing through the natural world, we need a model of judicious use of resources.

An administration of two former oil company guys is not how you start on that road to sustainable living.

but unfortunately, Americans seem to feel that they have the unalienable right to waste resources. I think that a policy change is the only way that we can effect real change in this problem.

#2 and #3 can be a cause for #1... #4 could be done, and it still #1, #2 and #3 could happen.

I voted for #1... one way or the other, it doesn't matter if economies collapse and/or people die, civilization as we know it will be gone, because it depends a lot on oil. Whether we make it or not, things will be VERY different.

Plus, I'm not sure developed countries will necessarily be ok. It will depend on whether electricity demands can be met or not, geography, education, technology, etc. Imagine cold winters in North America and Europe without any electricity because there's no oil for the power plants... sure, you can light up the fireplace, but a lot of people depend on electricity for heating. Or terrible heat waves with no air conditioning.

Countries with no extreme temperatures/weather, good soil, decent technological development, and electricty from renewable sources (hydroelectric, solar, wind) will be in the best position. Some countries in Central and South America and parts of Asia fit this description.

but if it's crude, that's quite appropriate, isn't it?

Serious work needs to be done and done soon.
Not just on a big government level but on a more local level.

My state seems to be trying to contribute to conserving and alternate energy sources. It has a nuclear power plant, 5 ethanol power plants in operation spread around the state and two more to begin production soon as well as 10 more ethanol plants in the planning stages, they're looking into wind power to be more widely used here as well (most of the state is at least a class 3 wind area).

I think I need to start stockpiling double barralled shotguns, black transams, and bandana-wearing Australian Sheep Dogs.