To prepare for the implications of pak oil, first we must understand the scope of the predicament.
The Local Motion Film Series continues its Summer Season showings this Thursday with A Crude Awakening, Life After the Oil Crash. This award-winning movie tells the story of peak oil, or the phenomenon where worldwide demand for oil begins to outstrip supply.
Unlike what some Pollyannas and business or politically-motivated persons would have us believe, bringing supply in line with increasing worldwide demand is not simply a matter of more drilling, baby. Our technology and bald geologic facts make clear that we wont be able to drill our way into turning a finite resource into an infinite one. Similarly, with almost every single thing we do, make, consume, or trade having something to do with fossil fuels along the way, from manufacture to transport,we cannot assume that “technology will save us”. Technology itself is dependent on fossil fuels.
A second arresting fact is that while clean energy and renewables are desirable, their capacity to provide the kind of magic ratio of energy delivery that fossil fuels have done is severely limited. With all this context in mind, it becomes urgent as world oil supply peaks (the U.S. already peaked in the 70s) to utilize remaining resources to strategically plan for a much lower energy future where we can at the same time remain a vibrant society with a high quality standard of living and trade.
Scary, huh? While the cold, hard facts of fossil fuel decline are inevitable, how we respond to it is in our hands. Re-imagining our communities, finding new and exciting ways to do business and develop important infrastructure, all offer opportunities for localities, regions, nations, and the world to innovate, develop business, create jobs, and define how we live. But first we must begin with understanding the predicament.
A Crude Awakening is a compelling documentary on the energy industry, and one well worth seeing to begin to confront the implications of peak oil.
Presented by Transition Staunton Augusta in conjunction with Staunton Green 2020, A Crude Awakening plays this Thursday, August 19, 2010 at Mockingbird Restaurant and Roots Music Hall at 7:00p.m. The film is free and the doors to the Mockingbird open at 5:30p.m. for pre-moving dining.To make diner reservations (advised as the films are usually packed), please call 540. 213.8777.
After the film, Anthony Smith, a former oil futures trader and current clean energy entrepreneur will take questions and share comments. We hope to see you there.
