How about a Transition forum?

SchroedingersCat · Intermediate Crude Joined: May 26, 2005 Posts: 527

It seems to me that the more I look at the problems facing us from peak oil it comes down to the transition from a high-energy to a low-energy society.

The Planning for the Future forum has great advice for back-to-the-landers and some fine ideas from the hard-crash doomers. What about a forum for a good discussion about what the coming transition will be like? Skip the doomer/cornucopian argument and talk clearly about what might me the near-term effects of reduced or more expensive fossil fuels and how to mitigate or profit from the change that is inevitably coming our way?

Any takers?
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Shannymara · Master Joined: Oct 04, 2004 Posts: 5389 Location: Oklahoma

Well, you are welcome to start a thread on that subject, either in Planning or Economics depending on the focus. Or you might want to see if any of these threads are what you're looking for:

The near term economic effects of peak oil
How bad a crash are people expecting?
Oil production decline likely to be more gradual, than steep
Post peak oil; the slow decline?
Collapse probably won't happen
Decline scenarios

Those are just a few that might be relevant.
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Laughs_Last · Intermediate Crude Joined: Jul 26, 2005 Posts: 850

I think that if the Planning for the Future forum is deficient, then we ought to add more slow decline planning topics as new threads. The tough part is getting a good focused thread from one that started as a question instead of as an exposition.

skyemoor · Posted: Fri Aug 24, 2007 8:00 am Post subject: Re: How about a Transition forum?

There are many threads associated directly with transition, such as mass transit, cycling, relocalization, food production, trains, and on and on. Yes, there are those who believe that the transition may be rough and/or chaotic. All seem to agree that we will be transitioning to a world were energy supplies will be a fraction of what they are today. That presumes that there will be significant changes in lifestyles that will be difficult for some to envision and even harder for most to commence.
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SchroedingersCat · Intermediate Crude Joined: May 26, 2005 Posts: 527

It seems to me that the next 10-20 years are the most critical and difficult for our world to face. It is unlikely that oil will suddenly vanish. However, it will become more expensive and less available. The effect that this will have is unknowable at this point. Much like the peak, it will only be observable in a rear-view mirror. Fast crash or slow crash, planning for what comes after is vital. Trying to figure out how we get there may be more important to most of the people reading this board.

There are a number of things I would like to see discussed: how to influence local government, how to move to the productive side of the economy (now, not becoming a blacksmith post-peak;) how can a group of peak oil aware people make any kind of difference in the transition.

Just seems like it doesn't fit well in the existing forums.
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skyemoor

If you want to discuss a particular topic, start a thread. Again, relocalization, mass transit, and a host of other mitigations are discussed. We have to be inclusive of a number of scenarios, however, especially in the light of the 10 year minimum (with heavy commitment and involvement from government, industry, and individuals) for avoiding the worst of the decline. You can't expect everyone (or even most) to be optimists, such a forum would end up like the current PFTF. Come now, present your ideas and discuss them with the readership.
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Ludi · Posted: Sat Aug 25, 2007 2:43 pm Post subject: Re: How about a Transition forum?