I've been reading a book called "The End of Fossil Energy and the Last Chance for Survival" by retired engineer John G. Howe and, in it, he is talking about the difficult situation we are in with fossil fuels, particularly oil. As we know, the American way of life is built around oil. We drive to a supermarket with our gas powered cars to buy products and food that, in many cases, have been shipped thousands of miles. The materials we use to build our houses and the goods we fill them with have also usually been shipped long distances and often the majority of these are made from plastics and other petroleum based materials. So, imagine all of this being gone. It is inevitable that it will happen in the not-too-distant future.
The things I've already mentioned aren't even the most troubling aspects of peak oil and post oil. Right now, the human population is around 7 billion people. The only things that have allowed us to reach these astonishing numbers is the defeat of many infectious diseases that used to keep the population in check and oil based agriculture. Without the power of oil, we wouldn't be able to grow nearly as much food as we do now. Also, some projections say that we may reach a population of 10 billion by 2040. Without oil, we won't be able to feed nearly this many people and there will be mass hunger and starvation as oil becomes scarcer and runs out UNLESS we can start purposely reducing our numbers now. Humans have forgotten that we are subject to the same rules that all other species are--a certain amount of resources and space can only feed a certain population.
Reading Mr. Howe's book, it occurred to me that our society is at a point like the end scene of Thelma and Louise. The car (a petroleum based lifestyle) is already racing towards the cliff (post oil) and Louise (our society, including the government and corporate interests) has the pedal to the metal and isn't considering letting up. The fact that oil is going to run out at all has been kept secret so folks will keep happily consuming and not interfere with oil company profits. You and I are in the passenger seat and see the cliff coming. What will you do? There is still time to act. I don't know about you but I'm in the process of jumping out!
How does one jump out? To start, quit relying on fossil fuels so much. Drive as little as possible and go solar, wind or hydro electric for your home power. Coal is an extremely dirty power source and mountains are being leveled to get to it. Nuclear power has horrible waste products and a checkered, at best, safety record (Fukishima, anyone?). Compost using the humanure system so we can start recycling our organic matter instead of flushing it and ruining it and fresh water in the process. Learn how to grow your own food or, at least, buy locally. Many cities now have transition movements which have also seen "the cliff" and are changing their wasteful ways. Being sustainable and self-sufficient is going to become a necessity in the coming years, if we start now, we may be ready by the time we need to be. Don't wait!
