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

[Richard Menec <menecraj@xxxxxxx>]

Thanks Ralph.  I certainly agree with your point about air conditioning.
One heat source I fogot to include is geothermal, which has the potential of
replacing those noisy air-conditioning units.  While expensive to install,
geothermal is a 'clean' energy source, using a minimal amount of electricity
to run a pump.   Warm air is pumped up in the winter; cool air in the summer
months.  The provincial NDP government in Manitoba (under MB Hydro) for a
few years now is allowing homeowners to pay for such a system
(interest-free, I believe) by adding monthly amounts to your electricity
bill.

Anyway, I have added geothermal under point #8 below, and please do
circulate as you see fit.

all good wishes,
Richard Menec


----- Original Message -----
From: "Ralph Johansen" <michele@xxxxxxxx>
To: "The A-List" <a-list@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Tuesday, August 02, 2005 3:56 PM
Subject: Re: [A-List] How to Avoid Oil Wars, Terrorism, and Economic
Collapse


> 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
> ------------------------------------------
>
> 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 geothermal heating
systems, or 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.
>
>