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

[Richard Menec <menecraj@xxxxxxx>]

PS:  Ralph - Perhaps as a point #11, I would also include a lobbying effort
to sign on to the Oil Depletion Protocol drafted by the Association for the
Study of Peak Oil, and lobby as well for DTQs as per Bill Totten's forward.

I'm hoping others on the A-List will take some initiative.  I'm sure Mark
Jones would have approved of political action committees of this nature
being discussed here, and being formed as a result.  I also see such an
initiative as a potentially huge political breakthrough for progressive
red-green parties, at least in terms of bringing these demands into policy.
People listen in times of enormous economic and social strife.

Richard Menec



----- Original Message -----
From: "Richard Menec" <menecraj@xxxxxxx>
To: "The A-List" <a-list@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Tuesday, August 02, 2005 4:49 PM
Subject: Re: [A-List] How to Avoid Oil Wars, Terrorism, and Economic
Collapse


> 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.
> >
> >
>