Posted: Wed Apr 04, 2007 11:19 am Post subject: A Little Advice Please...
Ok...
So you run a website which is the global "watering-hole" for information & discussions about Peak Oil.
You have been asked to speak & Q&A a screening of "The End of Suburbia" @ Rice University for a group associated with the Mayor's office.
You can pretty much choose to emphasize whatever you want, and your audience will include a wide mix of different types of people.
So I have some idea about what I would choose to talk about...
How about you?
http://www.cleanhouston.org/calendar.htm _________________ "We shall not cease from exploration
And the end of all our exploring
Will be to arrive where we started
And know the place for the first time." - TS Eliot*
Joined: Oct 04, 2004 Posts: 4331 Location: Oklahoma
Posted: Wed Apr 04, 2007 11:28 am Post subject: Re: A Little Advice Please...
For me, one of the biggest shocks when I learned about peak oil was realizing just how dependent we are on fossil fuels for almost everything we think of as "normal." Most people have some idea that oil is important, but I don't think they have a clue just how integral it is. Even in Houston (I grew up there, in an oil family for goodness sake, and still didn't get it). Once I realized that I'm as dependent on oil as I am on air, the gravity of the situation began to sink in. So it might be a good idea to try and make that connection for people. _________________ I drink your milkshake.
Joined: May 13, 2005 Posts: 2121 Location: Arlington, VA
Posted: Wed Apr 04, 2007 11:37 am Post subject: Re: A Little Advice Please...
The point above is fundamental.
Might also have discussion of the topic that the current structure and mode of operation of living cannot be kept running the way we are running it on 'alternative' fuels - and why. This is an assertion made inthe movie by Kunsler.
Discussion of the assertion by Kunster (not in the movie, I believe) that we will keep doing what we are doing until we can't and then we won't. And, is this a good way to handle change ? Also is similar to Kunstlers quip about 'non-negotiable' things. What aboout the audiences lifestyle do they consider 'negotiable'. Kunstler - "if you don't negotiate the circumstances that life is sending you, you automatically get a new negotiating partner, named reality. And, then reality does your negotiating for you."
You might also touch on the downside of preparing vs non-preparing in light of the GAO report of now-2030 timeframe for peak oil. And, the timeframe to effect meaningful structural change in a society.
Posted: Wed Apr 04, 2007 12:15 pm Post subject: Re: A Little Advice Please...
I think Shannymara has the best intro - connecting the dots on how practically everything is derived from oil in one way or another. An interesting discussion in itself and very good bait. Help people become highly conscious of how utterly dependant we are on the stuff.
From that foundation you could tangent to peak production, economics, alternatives, overpopulation or whathaveyou with a good impact.
Joined: Sep 02, 2004 Posts: 609 Location: Not tellin' anymore
Posted: Wed Apr 04, 2007 12:55 pm Post subject: Re: A Little Advice Please...
Rock on Shanny!
Perhaps the next biggest wrap around (after the importance and infiltrative nature) most folks have to grasp is the finite-ness of oil. Stressing various government or sponsored contract reports, latest being the GAO doc, may give more official standing/credence to this issue, which is often poo-pooed as some conspiracy thing.
Then its all a matter of who is right as to the "when" it may occur. And talk about some variance.
Odd place to be - too soft, then "so what". Too hard and "yeah right".
Joined: May 15, 2005 Posts: 4146 Location: THE MATRIX
Posted: Wed Apr 04, 2007 12:57 pm Post subject: Re: A Little Advice Please...
I might be taking this alittle too far yet no sooner was I convinced then I thought "WTF am I going to do about it?" and I dont think these people will feel much differently once you have them convinced that is.
So, A list of things Houston could do to begin mitigation showing the positive effects of implementing change.
I would suggest the following incomplete list:
1: Solar installations for schools and city buildings.
2: A citywide ban on incandescents and a switch to flourescents.
3: Work with large employers to increase carpooling, changing hours of employment to help with all those wasted hours in traffic and the promotion of telecommuting.
4: Expansion of light rail and other efficient forms of mass transit.
5: An equilibrium tax as a negative for those who waste and a positive for those who do not, a shared tax = collect 1 million from those who waste and give that to those who do not waste minus minor administration fees of course = a few jobs for city workers as they always like that idea
6: Promote home and/or neighborhood garden coops, ban food that travels beyond a certain distance which would promote some of these foods to be grown within the boundary range I.E. locally or you could simply tax long distance foods which would also promote the above yet not neccessarily in all cases.
7: change building codes to reflect a shift toward sustainability, maybe get with homebuilders and discuss incentives for green or eco village esqe community building as there are plenty of people who want to "do something" yet havent a clue or few options so imagine the thought of buying a house in a developement where the houses are super efficient with shared gardens, fruit trees and so many other benefits.
This list could run on ad infinitum against the short list of why most things are done as we now do them = greed.
Definately prepare for the "shout outs" as well as the sincere questions as we all know full well the power of denial and rationalization.
They are going to suggest Nuclear expansion, Biofools and every other kind of pipe dream we have seen and pretty much debunkafied here at po.com.
Dale Pfeiffers "eating oil like two legged suv's" and the reality of the 1500 mile food chain hit me hard but that may be because I was eating a banana and a strawberry from california right after I read that article.... so I tend to look at this massive waste as something that needs tackled.
Take a banana and a strawberry in as props maybe?? worked for me!
A tax incentive for solar installation, organic garden installation, owning a vehicle that gets over 30 MPG etc etc. I know money is not the answer but you will convince the sheeple of the reality of PO before you convince them of that.
How our money=power is allocated is part of the solution.
Good luck with this noble effort Aaron.
All by itself the presence of this thread gives some of us hope and I think that is what we need right after we realize just how tight of a spot we are in.
Go Aaron! Go Aaron! Go Aaron! _________________ It is easier to enslave a people that wish to remain free then it is to free a people who wish to remain enslaved.
Posted: Wed Apr 04, 2007 1:08 pm Post subject: Re: A Little Advice Please...
Aaron,
I'm not sure I would use the time to try to convince people of all the ins and outs of PO. Your site has for better or worse, made people interested in what the hell is going on here. So, I would frame whatever you say using this site - why did you set it up? For example:
(1) Why personally you set up the site? People always like a personal interest story; generally how you set up the site and freedom you have given for people to discuss the issue;
(2) How has the traffic grown over the years and what does that tell anyone, even businesses that may or may not believe in PO itself, but may want to market to the growing interests;
(3) What have you learned by observing who is visiting this site, for example, there have been several threads talking about how many hits now coming from China, what does the fact that "hits" are spreading tell everyone;
(4) I would mention how interesting it is for you to witness who is monitoring the site, again, as you do here, you don't have to give specifics, but say from an operators point of view as traffic has picked up, so has interest from very interesting organizations, including those entities which may be using the site to spread propaganda;
(4) Summarize what operating this site has taught you about the issue and how you see the world reacting to it, and from that, how you see the world reacting to it say in five years time.
Joined: Aug 19, 2004 Posts: 1599 Location: Republic of Texas
Posted: Wed Apr 04, 2007 1:16 pm Post subject: Re: A Little Advice Please...
Aaron wrote:
How about you?
Cool beans Aaron!
I would emphasize how PeakOil makes our current immigration policies a death sentence, but that's just me. _________________ Conform . Consume . Obey .
Posted: Wed Apr 04, 2007 1:36 pm Post subject: Re: A Little Advice Please...
Excellent advice everyone... thank you.
seahorse2 makes a good point about including some "insider" perspective from my personal point of view. Good call.
I don't plan on "making the case for PO with some super detailed, "convince you it's real" blowout like LifeAfter or dieoff.org, but rather do a brief summary of what peak is, and emphasize a few key points... I want the Q&A to be as long as possible because I believe that kind of extemporaneous format to be a more credible presentation than a scripted "dog & pony show".
It's these "key points" I could use some help organizing.
Certainly I'll include the importance of oil to modern society, the OPEC paper barrels, lead-time for developing oil-alternative technology,
Keep em coming... _________________ "We shall not cease from exploration
And the end of all our exploring
Will be to arrive where we started
And know the place for the first time." - TS Eliot*
Posted: Wed Apr 04, 2007 2:00 pm Post subject: Re: A Little Advice Please...
RonMN wrote:
Don't do it Aaron!
People have to come to PO willingly...you're just setting yourself up for a letdown.
I personally, would say "thank, but no thanks".
Well it's a screening for EOS, & on a major college campus... _________________ "We shall not cease from exploration
And the end of all our exploring
Will be to arrive where we started
And know the place for the first time." - TS Eliot*
Joined: Aug 12, 2004 Posts: 1179 Location: England
Posted: Wed Apr 04, 2007 2:06 pm Post subject: Re: A Little Advice Please...
I agree regarding the points about how important oil is to just about everything.
The stat that shocked me to my boots is the one about how many countries are in decline.
It also always scares people I talk to about PO, the penny nearly always drops that it cannot be far off for global peak.
I forget the actual numbers but isnt it something like 55 out of 65 oil producing countries are already in terminal decline? ( or something like that)
Go for it Aaron, whenever I have heard you on peak speak , you come across very well and more importantly very credible! _________________ Peak Oil? Shit Happens !
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