Re: [A-List] How to Avoid Oil Wars, Terrorism, and Economic Collapse

[Ralph Johansen <michele@xxxxxxxx>]

Richard, good thinking. Would you mind if I circulate this as shown
below, accredited to you with a few minor alterations? Maybe you have
some additional ideas; for instance, I'm not too happy with what I've
added about air conditioning, but it's a colossal energy waster and has
become essential to a whole lot of people. I have lived in urban areas
all over the US, where the temperature soared much of the summer season
and where the noise of these units in every apartment and building shut
out all night sounds and actually made it difficult to sleep.

Ralph
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A message from Richard Menec, Winnipeg :

I think it is essential that we start now to prepare for and also take
advantage of the inevitable looming economic, social, and political
crises that are bound to result from the coming depletion of basic
energy resources.

To this end I would like to propose the following: - that everyone
within range, if possible, initiate an Oil Peak Emergency Citizens
Action Committee (OPEC Action Committee) in their city, region, or
neighbourhood. - that the purpose of these Committees, since mainstream
media outlets and governments are failing pathetically at this, be to:
1. educate and inform the citizenry as to the inevitability of peak oil;
2. attempt to alleviate the madness that will surely result (start
learning to walk and ride your bicycles, people!) by _planning_ for it;
3. plan for human-powered transportation, by among other things urging
local governments to begin setting aside entire lanes of our extensive
road networks for bicycles, etc.;
4. lobby for changing city ordinances to again allow for the raising of
livestock, poultry, etc., within city limits;
5. lobby city and provincial or state and federal governments to turn
all usable, arable land into community gardens; and to provide
incentives to move this project along;
6. change building codes to ensure that all existing housing is
retro-fitted to take advantage of at least passive solar energy and that
this be made mandatory on any new housing (ridge lines, for instance,
running east-west to allow for solar panels);
7. lobby city, provincial, state and federal governments to build
electric light-rail transit in areas that are overflowing with
hydroelectric power (like my own province of Manitoba);
8. phase out gas furnaces and replace them with electric baseboard
heaters, with individual thermostats in every room, to conserve on
electricity; replace electrical air conditioning units with more
efficient means of cooling as far as possible;
9. create government or citizen-run nurseries to grow large quantities
of fruit trees and to develop new hybrids for different climates,
replace pesticide-laden grass with mini-orchards in every backyard; and
more good ideas to be added as this proposal circulates;
10. share resources and expertise with other OPEC Committees, adding
more constructive ideas as this proposal circulates.