Cohousing-L Mailing List: Re: peak oil preparations?

[TandemWriters (TandemWriters]

In a message dated 4/9/2005 11:02:56 A.M. Eastern Daylight Time,  
hartley_jennifer [at] yahoo.com writes:

I was  just wondering what you all may have been doing to prepare for peak 
oil, or  rather, life after the oil crash.  I guess I should first ask, do you  
believe this is going to happen?  I have been reading and hearing some  
convincing arguments (such as Richard Heinberg's book "The Party's Over," the  
film 
"The End of Suburbia," as well as websites such as  
http://www.lifeaftertheoilcrash.net).  If you do believe we are in for  rough 
times in the 
not-so-distant future, how are you as individuals and as  communities preparing?
I can say that I have serious mixed emotions about the  "oil" crisis.  It 
seems more of a crisis of values.  If you have your  money in oil stocks then 
you 
probably are elated that prices are going through  the roof.  Other people 
are paying for your gas.  If you are poor then  your budget becomes a serious 
survival issue.  Unfortunately Americans are  DRIVEN by fear of consequences.( 
and perhaps the rest of the planet...they just  seem to respond more quickly)  
So we are content to allow car makers to  provide gas guzzling SUV's equipped 
for climbing Mount Everest to be used to  bring home the groceries.  I'm in 
south Florida at present.  It's very  flat here.  And very little off road 
opportunity except for canals. (BTW  SUV's don't float very well)  The one 
importa
nt issue for me is that maybe,  just maybe funding will begin to swell for 
sustainable resources...wind, solar,  hybrids, recycling and sustainable 
farming 
and forestry.  This last six  years have been a wake up call for Americans and 
so far it doesn't seem to me  that people have even pulled off the covers.  

I  am trying to get over the shock of realizing that life as we know it may 
be  drastically changed in a very short span of time.  Have others out there  
also gone through some difficulty in coping with the thought of peak oil, and 
if  so, how have you managed this mental and emotional upheaval?
 
It has been a shock, but I think it's possible that  America will benefit 
from this era.  It will be difficult as long as  resistance to the change is at 
the forefront of your daily activities.   This situation could bring on 
depression and anger.  Stay flexible, bob and  weave as life begins to turn up 
the 
heat here in the next twelve months.   As much as we don't want to face the 
world, the world is at our door  step and won't be ignored.  American is 
somewhere 
around five percent of  the worlds population and some 15 years ago we 
consumed 40% of the world's  resources and we said "be like us" and "share the 
other 
60% you other 95 % of  the world."  This is now coming home to roost.  How we 
respond is  vital to our emotional health ( and physical health). It is 
difficult to  imagine over the next ten years the amount of resources that the 
Chinese middle  class will consume. It's not the end of the world...just the 
world 
as we  have known it. And I for one believe we will be better for  it. 


One reassuring thought that I've been clinging to with all my might  is the 
knowledge that living in cohousing, or any type of intentional community,  
would be a huge mitigating factor.  My husband and I will be moving into  our 
brand new community in September (first move-ins will start next  month).


Congratulations.  I'm convinced that having  community is a huge mitigating 
factor.  It seems to me that having fifty or  sixty people working together on 
an issue is far superior to being an isolated  family in the burbs feeling 
completely alone in their fight to survive.  I  think you've made an excellent 
decision.  Have fun.  We are presently  waiting to move into Sharingwood in 
Snohomish, WA. and I can't wait for  the drive up to the house.  Lots of love 
and 
laughter coming your  way.
Dana
  
Thanks for any thoughts or feedback  you may be able to provide.

Jennifer Hartley
Rocky Hill  Cohousing
Northampton, Massachusetts