PigInShit Posted October 5, 2010 Share Posted October 5, 2010 It's time to end our addiction to oil and here's how we can do it: A Twelve-Step Plan to End Oil Addiction. 1. Stop deluding ourselves. The era of cheap, readily-available oil has ended. Prices may fluctuate, but the underlying trend is up, up, up. We have to get used to using less. 2. Demand that politicians take the issue seriously. Make it an election issue. Don't take 'we've got everything under control' as an answer. 3. Stop building new roads. They're a monumental waste of money, time and effort. They encourage, rather than ease congestion and besides, the growth in car travel that's used to justify them isn't going to happen anyway. 4. Divert that money and effort into measures that address the challenges of oil depletion and climate change. 5. Make a major investment in public transport. It needs to be better, faster, more comfortable, more regular and more predictable. It needs to cater for everyone, not just peak-hour commuters though they need a better service as well. 6. Make a major investment in broadband internet to allow more people to work from home and change tax and business practices that discourage working from home. The more car trips we can avoid, the better. 7. Electrify transport where possible. We should be electrifying commuter rail where it is not already electric and using light rail (trams) in the cities. On the other end of the scale, electric bikes and scooters can make a big difference in our cities. And electric cars show promise, though there's a lot of questions to be answered yet. 8. Don't use cars unless there's no alternative. Take the bus. Take the train. Switch to a scooter. Walk or cycle - both your wallet and your doctor will thank you. 9. Deal with other aspects of our oil dependence. Agriculture, for example, is highly dependent on oil. We're going to need to change the way we grow and distribute food. Let's get to work on that now, not wait until supermarket shelves start to empty. 10. Stockpile or manufacture vital products currently imported from overseas. When oil runs short, will that still be possible? Let's take stock now and work out what we may need to start stockpiling or making (again) in the UK. 11. Think local. Ending our oil addiction isn't just up to central government, though it can play its part. Communities can work together to make themselves more resilient. Join or start a Transition Towns group in your local area. 12. Accept reality. The age of cheap oil is over. It's not coming back. As individuals and as a nation, we have to adapt. From this moment on, oil prices will continue to rise. For the terminally bewildered amongst you I repeat: The time is now to start thinking about and making changes to the way you live so your life is not so oil-centered. Remember that a lack of oil extends far beyond just not being able to drive your car - so many other products, services and industries are based on oil. Start preparing for a life of austerity. NOW! Find local employment. Reduce your debts. Reduce your fuel consumption. Grow your own vegetables or buy from local suppliers. Exercise regularly. Insulate your home. Help your family, friends and colleagues to understand the implications of Peak Oil. Got it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Number79 Posted October 6, 2010 Share Posted October 6, 2010 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kurt Barlow Posted October 6, 2010 Share Posted October 6, 2010 Whether or not you beleive in peak oil or whether it is upon us the measures stated in the OP's post are fairly sensible given the shyte hole the UK has currently landed itself in. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darkman Posted October 6, 2010 Share Posted October 6, 2010 I don't think they're sensible at all. Raving green lunacy more like. 30 posts and we're being taught how to deal with peak oil Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reck B Posted October 6, 2010 Share Posted October 6, 2010 Surely we've reached Peak Peak Oil Threads? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
200p Posted October 6, 2010 Share Posted October 6, 2010 Oh, best enjoy what we have left... Can't stop, there's a yummy mummy in a Land Rover ahead, I must get the attention of! Toodle pip! Vrroooommm! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GBdamo Posted October 6, 2010 Share Posted October 6, 2010 It's time to end our addiction to oil and here's how we can do it: A Twelve-Step Plan to End Oil Addiction. Yada, yada, yada........................ Got it? Doom mongers, be prepared to be disappointed, Peak oil has been and gone, what you are seeing is a controlled and somewhat expensive move away from oil as production slows further and it becomes more expensive still. Using all the trickery of the ruling class.....AGW Some people expect a tap to be switched off overnight and, bingo we're all fooked. Not gonna happen. All your measures make some sense and are well meant but, If I had a £ for ever peak oil thread....................... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pick It Down Posted October 6, 2010 Share Posted October 6, 2010 The big problem about "Peek Energy" is the greens forcing us down a path of inefficient energy provision in order to impoverish us. Of course they'll then claim they were correct when the average bill is £3000/year. Windmills never made a nation rich. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pick It Down Posted October 6, 2010 Share Posted October 6, 2010 Doom mongers, be prepared to be disappointed, Peak oil has been and gone, what you are seeing is a controlled and somewhat expensive move away from oil as production slows further and it becomes more expensive still. Using all the trickery of the ruling class.....AGW Some people expect a tap to be switched off overnight and, bingo we're all fooked. Not gonna happen. All your measures make some sense and are well meant but, If I had a £ for ever peak oil thread....................... The Peak Oilers are the reincarnate of the Peak Population fools of the 1970s and Global Warming losers of the 1990s. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fellow Posted October 6, 2010 Share Posted October 6, 2010 Have the oil companies searched every square foot of the Earth, to the depth they are able to drill to? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kurt Barlow Posted October 6, 2010 Share Posted October 6, 2010 Have the oil companies searched every square foot of the Earth, to the depth they are able to drill to? More or less yes. Partly explains why no giant oilfields have been found since the 1970's Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kurt Barlow Posted October 6, 2010 Share Posted October 6, 2010 The big problem about "Peek Energy" is the greens forcing us down a path of inefficient energy provision in order to impoverish us. Of course they'll then claim they were correct when the average bill is £3000/year. Windmills never made a nation rich. Good job the UK has oodles of oil and gas left then, along with our robust manufacturing sector and health balance of trade surplus Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pick It Down Posted October 6, 2010 Share Posted October 6, 2010 Good job the UK has oodles of oil and gas left then, along with our robust manufacturing sector and health balance of trade surplus I dont care where the oil or gas I use has come from, it's all the same (barring a few impurities, etc). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kurt Barlow Posted October 6, 2010 Share Posted October 6, 2010 I dont care where the oil or gas I use has come from, it's all the same (barring a few impurities, etc). What are you going to use to pay for it once the producer nations stop accepting toilet paper / IOU's in exchange? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pick It Down Posted October 6, 2010 Share Posted October 6, 2010 What are you going to use to pay for it once the producer nations stop accepting toilet paper / IOU's in exchange? Plenty of good clean coal we can go back to. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kurt Barlow Posted October 6, 2010 Share Posted October 6, 2010 Plenty of good clean coal we can go back to. And what do you propose we pay the Australians, South Africans, Russians with for that coal? Or are you going to tell me we have' 300 years of coal' siting in the ground Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gigantic Purple Slug Posted October 6, 2010 Share Posted October 6, 2010 Surely we've reached Peak Peak Oil Threads? Deep in a Malaysian forum somewhere they have discovered the potential to increase the worlds peak oil threads by up to 30%. That should keep us going for another 20 years. I hear there is a guy in America who is writing an iphone app which will allow near instant communication of peak oil information. We're a long way from being maxed out on peak oil threads yet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1929crash Posted October 7, 2010 Share Posted October 7, 2010 If I had a £ for ever peak oil thread....................... . . . . you would be able to buy a book on growing your own veg. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quagmire Posted October 8, 2010 Share Posted October 8, 2010 No thanks. I'll continue to enjoy my oil burning lifestyle and have faith in humanities incredible ability to adapt and invent. We get one life, I'm not downgrading my lifestyle because something bad might happen. ps. I'm the guy flying past in my 3.8 litre commodore packed full of creature comforts while you toil away on your dangerous push bike, arriving at work wet, sweaty, exhausted and miserable Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.