Hoarding is exactly what the government is doing right now by filling the SPR, and frankly it's the best thing that could happen. It drives prices up. High prices encourage demand destruction. They also finance new well development. The hoarded oil gives us a buffer to fall back on once shortages become more prevalent. High prices are what we need in order to adapt to what's coming, and the sooner they happen, the better.
Posted: Sun Feb 24, 2008 8:08 pm Post subject: Yet another American (possibly) moving to New Zealand
Gidday. I discovered Peak Oil ten years ago in a Scientific American article and asked myself where I would want to be living when Peak Oil really hits. I couldn't answer that question at the time.
Then the Lord of the Rings trilogy came out, and I was introduced to New Zealand. The beauty of the land stunned me (and I live in Utah, with its own stunning landmarks!) Living by the ocean always appealed to me. But I was going through college/university at the time, and thought it would be nice to go, but my family would be too far away. So I postponed it.
Now, perhaps ten years too late, I am considering moving down under again, mostly because of Peak Oil, and that New Zealanders are among the most Peak aware people on earth. As someone with a physics background, I am interested in the bevy of natural resources New Zealand has, particularly geothermal and wind power, and hope to work in the renewable energy field.
Having considered the move, what must I do? Is there a market for physicists and engineers in NZ? How long can I work before I must obtain permanent residence or citizenship? What cultural barriers will I face as an American? Would it be better to obtain Australian residency or citizenship first, then move to NZ? These and many more questions I face before moving.
Joined: Oct 18, 2004 Posts: 1623 Location: kiwibush
Posted: Sun Feb 24, 2008 8:58 pm Post subject: Re: Yet another American (possibly) moving to New Zealand
chrispi wrote:
Gidday. I discovered Peak Oil ten years ago in a Scientific American article and asked myself where I would want to be living when Peak Oil really hits. I couldn't answer that question at the time.
Then the Lord of the Rings trilogy came out, and I was introduced to New Zealand. The beauty of the land stunned me (and I live in Utah, with its own stunning landmarks!) Living by the ocean always appealed to me. But I was going through college/university at the time, and thought it would be nice to go, but my family would be too far away. So I postponed it.
Now, perhaps ten years too late, I am considering moving down under again, mostly because of Peak Oil, and that New Zealanders are among the most Peak aware people on earth. As someone with a physics background, I am interested in the bevy of natural resources New Zealand has, particularly geothermal and wind power, and hope to work in the renewable energy field.
Having considered the move, what must I do? Is there a market for physicists and engineers in NZ? How long can I work before I must obtain permanent residence or citizenship? What cultural barriers will I face as an American? Would it be better to obtain Australian residency or citizenship first, then move to NZ? These and many more questions I face before moving.
New Zealanders are the most peak aware! Err...no! New Zealand has embraced the American style of convenience consumption with a gusto! Our system of public transportation is a farce, we are possibly the most polluted region in the world in terms of agri-chemicals. We are avid lovers of the car.
The only possible advantage we have going for us is that the number of humans is relatively small. Remove those rose tinted glasses before making your way here....we aren't heaven on earth for sure.
If you're still considering moving here, this place will feel like home bar the accent. As for permanent residence, you might want to touch base with the New Zealand Immigration Service for advice. You'ld be advised to contact a local American office rather than Wellington to speed things along.
All in all, the country's under populated which is it's redeeming feature. _________________ Bugger me, I hear oil's runnin out mate!
Posted: Sun Feb 24, 2008 9:03 pm Post subject: Re: Yet another American (possibly) moving to New Zealand
I'm just laffing.
That place'll be sinking under the weight of all your fat asses.
Huh. _________________ "By the time individuals discover that remaining resources will not be adequate for the next generation, the next generation has already been born. " David Price
Joined: Sep 14, 2004 Posts: 5780 Location: Rural Virginia
Posted: Sun Feb 24, 2008 10:36 pm Post subject: Re: Yet another American (possibly) moving to New Zealand
Giant ships packed with rapacious, nuclear-tipped Americans will soon be arriving on NZ's shores. Don't laugh. It could, and probably will, happen. _________________ "Actually, humans died out long ago."
---Abused, abandoned hunting dog
"Things have entered a stage where the only change that is possible is for things to get worse."
---Me and my brother
Posted: Sun Feb 24, 2008 10:56 pm Post subject: Re: Yet another American (possibly) moving to New Zealand
This has come up before.
IMO, NZ would be a horrible place to be.
First, NZ is approaching a NG cliff.
Second, NZ, like Japan, will be heavily dependent on imports over the next 50 years.
Why would you want to be on an island in the middle of the Pacific that has little of its own energy and that doesn't produce most of the materials it consumes?
Seems to me that the cost of living in NZ is going to ramp up faster than most places.
Of course, I'm not sure I have a better place to be, I just don't think that fleeing to Mecca to avoid the devil in Medina makes any sense.
Posted: Sun Feb 24, 2008 11:07 pm Post subject: Re: Yet another American (possibly) moving to New Zealand
PopeGideon wrote:
This has come up before.
IMO, NZ would be a horrible place to be.
First, NZ is approaching a NG cliff.
Second, NZ, like Japan, will be heavily dependent on imports over the next 50 years.
Why would you want to be on an island in the middle of the Pacific that has little of its own energy and that doesn't produce most of the materials it consumes?
Seems to me that the cost of living in NZ is going to ramp up faster than most places.
Of course, I'm not sure I have a better place to be, I just don't think that fleeing to Mecca to avoid the devil in Medina makes any sense.
Joined: Oct 18, 2004 Posts: 1623 Location: kiwibush
Posted: Mon Feb 25, 2008 12:00 am Post subject: Re: Yet another American (possibly) moving to New Zealand
Sadly, New Zealand is smoking the same cornucopian pipe as the rest of the world. I live in a rural town and Malls are the big thing locally. Our roads are overrun with big petrol guzzling machines. Every available bit of land is being opened to suburban development. Shopping is a national religion. No one grows their own. Recycling is something the poors do (apart from those symbols of middle class success...recyling your wine bottles and exotic condiments jars).
There's no local rail service in my region, the bus service is infrequent, local driving is abysmal to the point that venturing out on a bicycle is something of a risky activity. I once confronted a Green Party politician about this disconnect between what we really are and how the world perceives us and his response was....to say the least, most revealing.
I haven't a clue where one might relocate to given the abysmal predicament many of us find ourselves in all across the world, if I did, I would be there myself. _________________ Bugger me, I hear oil's runnin out mate!
Posted: Mon Feb 25, 2008 2:05 am Post subject: Re: Yet another American (possibly) moving to New Zealand
chrispi wrote:
Maybe it isn't such a good thing to move down under...
Tee hee, after those little pep talks most people would rather move to North Korea...still, who knows. Quite possibly, there won't be anywhere that's much fun in 20 years time. Sadly tho, it is true that the greenest thing in NZ is hobbiton(incidentally the bloke who's farm that set was constructed on makes a tidy living taking sad anoraks on tours, possibly not a sustainable business model in the long term ) Our govt has just green lighted a massive motorway extension project, part of a huge road building programme they have presided over for the last few years. And they're supposedly the left wing party! Looks like we're all set to bring the right wingers back into power at the elections in november...so sure come on down chrispi, there's lots of great places to grow food and look at the oceanhere. Just don't expect anything other than the same remarkable obliviousness that seems to be pretty much universal in the 'developed' world...
Joined: Sep 14, 2004 Posts: 5780 Location: Rural Virginia
Posted: Mon Feb 25, 2008 8:29 am Post subject: Re: Yet another American (possibly) moving to New Zealand
The great adventurer Sir Francis Chichester spent much of his early manhood in NZ. He marveled over the natural beauty and rich resources of the place. He also was one of the first to show a faint flicker of environmental awareness. He started a timber plantation and sold real estate there, carving up big pieces of land into little overpriced lots (the usual story). He expressed some sadness about that, but he did it anyway (and was very successful for a time, until the Depression came along).
The question for places like NZ, as with every place, is what will be left of it when we are through with raping it and have died off to manageable numbers, and the climate has stabilized at whatever strange new equilibrium it's headed for. _________________ "Actually, humans died out long ago."
---Abused, abandoned hunting dog
"Things have entered a stage where the only change that is possible is for things to get worse."
---Me and my brother
Posted: Mon Feb 25, 2008 5:44 pm Post subject: Re: Yet another American (possibly) moving to New Zealand
Greyharp wrote:
and don't forget all those volcanoes!
Hey, volcanoes ain't so bad, you've just got to manage the trick of living during the millennia when they're not active, rather than the decades when they are...
On the plus side, volcanic action, glaciation and tectonic movement are the reasons why NZ has it's lush, fertile, deep soils. And the lack of those very same processes is the reason why most of Straya is an infertile wasteland...nice beaches and lots of uranium tho- swings and roundabouts I guess!
Posted: Mon Feb 25, 2008 10:21 pm Post subject: Re: Yet another American (possibly) moving to New Zealand
Sometimes one has to make a trade-off...
Do I stay here in "Fark Nation," or move to another, only to find the same problems, to a lesser extent? I'd stay away from Auckland; it's LA without all the freeways! Hamilton's developing into a suburb of Auckland. If I decide to move to NZ, it would probably be in the Wellington region, but that's just me and my interest in vertical axis windmills.
Now if one could just find a way to harvest all the hot air that emanates from the Beehive, then New Zealand's energy shortage would be solved.
Joined: Nov 15, 2005 Posts: 152 Location: New Zealand
Posted: Thu Feb 28, 2008 11:19 pm Post subject: Re: Yet another American (possibly) moving to New Zealand
Heck! Anyone would think NZ is hell on Earth the way some of you are talking! NZ certainly isn't perfect and it will be hit by PO like all other nations, but it has got a lot of up sides to it.
I live in Wellington and it has a really good public transport system. I have a 10 minute walk to train station, 10 minute train ride to the CBD, and I also have a bus alternative if I want it. Wgtn does get more wind that other cities, but that also means no smog. There are lots and lots of wilderness areas very close to the city, you have lots of different places to choose to go, from easy walks or serious weekend tramps. There are a range of beautiful beaches to go to, some actually in Wgtn city, others from 1/2 hour to 1 hours drive away. There has been more development in recent years and cities have spralled more but they are still much smaller than most cities overseas.
Sure NZ is going to be hit by PO, but so is everywhere else. I think there are several key advantages for NZ in the PO world.
Quote:
Why would you want to be on an island in the middle of the Pacific that has little of its own energy and that doesn't produce most of the materials it consumes?
One of the key advantages is being a little unimportant island in the middle of the Pacific. I think one of the biggest affects that PO will bring is war and civil unrest. Being on an island at the farthest point from the big powers in a country with only 4.1 million people is a better place to be than many others.
One thing NZ producings a lot of is food. Though I've read climate change may make the East coast dryer the West coast is expected to get good, or even more, rainfall.
NZ is to far away from anywhere to get boat people, well probably.
NZ isn't perfect and anyone should investigate a lot before deciding to immigrate, but I think the other posters where being too negative. Though I definately agree on avoiding Auckland.
cheers
and don't give up your idea without looking into it more.
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) Our govt has just green lighted a massive motorway extension project, part of a huge road building programme they have presided over for the last few years. And they're supposedly the left wing party! Looks like we're all set to bring the right wingers back into power at the elections in november...so sure come on down chrispi, there's lots of great places to grow food and look at the oceanhere. Just don't expect anything other than the same remarkable obliviousness that seems to be pretty much universal in the 'developed' world...
