S starting to HTF in Florida

Everado · Coal Joined: Jun 15, 2008 Posts: 10

Hey everyone, I've been lurking for a bit, and finally decided to join in.

I happen to live in Orlando, and anyone who has lived or been here knows why it will be a bad place to be before too long. The heat is unbearable without air conditioning, the soil is piss poor and can only grow oranges, everything is a 30 minute drive away, or more, our water supply is being depleted at an unsustainable rate, it's overpopulated, and we're 12 feet above sea level. Someday soon I'll leave, lest the ice caps melt.

This Saturday I went out to eat and noticed that the restaurant was not full. There was no wait on what should be the busiest night of the week. Today I went to Target, and the parking lot was not packed like it normally is on a Sunday. The traffic here is notoriously bad, but I've noticed less and less of it lately. Every other house is for sale. Foreclosures abound as we've all heard on the news, and the housing companies have laid off something like half of their employees and ceased all construction. There are rumors of a four day work week for some government offices because of the cost of transportation, yet our gas prices are slightly below average. The schools have sustained deep losses in funding, and teachers are being laid off, and there will be no substitute teachers next year in my county. Students will have to wander around and sit in on assigned classes if their teachers are absent. However, that's mainly due to a tax cut, but I don't see things changing.

For the first time, I'm starting to get scared, since these are just the rumblings of what lies ahead.

I think this is one of the absolute worst places to be in America during peak oil, except for maybe the desert. I can't think of anything we produce locally at all. There's one town I know of that has like 10 farmers, and that's a 15 minute drive away. Oranges are left to rot in the abandoned orange groves around here during the winter, but for 10 months a year there is nothing whatsoever that can be grown without fertilizer. The nutrients just wash right through the sand. I can't even plant a garden because I live on something like a sixth of an acre, most of which is the house. Millions will starve here before long.

Revi · Fusion Joined: Apr 25, 2005 Posts: 3448 Location: Maine

Really, you are being so dramatic. Imagine where I live. There is a 6 month winter season during which you have to either pay for 4 gallons of oil a day to stay warm, or cut cords and cords of wood which you probably also have to pay for.

There aren't any orange trees that are just sitting there waiting to be picked. There are spruce trees, and the occasional apple tree that you can make cider from.

Maine is a really hard place to live even without peak oil. Orlando could be a great place to be. At least you don't have to heat your house in the winter.

I think a place in Florida sounds great, but what do I know.

I would love to live there for 6 months and up here the other 6.

I know people who have small restaurants in Bar Harbor in the summer and in the Keys in the winter. Hard work, but not a bad life.
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misterno · Posted: Sun Jun 15, 2008 6:55 pm Post subject: Re: S starting to HTF in Florida

same in Houston, no agriculture here. Whenever there is a farmers market, you can tell everything is transported from Austin. It is hot like hell for 3 months but still better than Boston or NY with cold like hell. Cuz you will never die from hot but you will from cold.

On the other hand, we have a booming economy in Houston due to oil and gas companies. Is this a wash ? I am not sure.
All I know is when SHTF, Houston will not be a good place to be.

midnight-gamer · Posted: Sun Jun 15, 2008 7:08 pm Post subject: Re: S starting to HTF in Florida

Maybe sell Iguana bits?

In all seriousness though, most of us are as worried as you are. Please continue to update us about Orlando. The wife and I went there in 2005, and I remember some places looked to be in disrepair.

SoylentGreen · Heavy Crude Joined: May 25, 2008 Posts: 168

I am in Florida 70% of American consumed tomatoes are grown in this state.The state is rich in phosphates, used in fertilizer. I dont see anything about Fla. that is worse than any other state except the Oil producing ones.
Orlando is one of the top 10 biggest foreclosure markets. crap is hittin the fan, but it aint hittin Fla any harder than most any other place in the country.

Everado · Coal Joined: Jun 15, 2008 Posts: 10

I'm not trying to be dramatic. It's not great to live here because you can travel an hour in any direction and you'll always be in the suburbs. The free oranges will not feed 1.5 million people who get their food from California and Costa Rica. If you've lived where there are brutal winters sure it sounds nice because it never snows and you never have to heat your house. It might sound like I'm whining about the heat, but if you are outside for 30 minutes any time of the year you get sunburned. If the ice caps melt due to global warming (which I consider likely at this point, even if it's not for 30 years) then all of Florida will be underwater.

I know a few people who went to Texas, and they said it's almost exactly like Florida but slightly hotter and much more populated around the large cities.

burtonridr · Intermediate Crude Joined: Aug 03, 2007 Posts: 763

I think Florida would be an alright place if we werent in global warming....

The ocean an the everglades are good food producers Smile

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Ludi · Posted: Sun Jun 15, 2008 7:31 pm Post subject: Re: S starting to HTF in Florida

mommy22 · Heavy Crude Joined: Jul 22, 2005 Posts: 270

My family lived thru that heat wave in Paris....it was unbelievably hot...no air con except in malls and movie theatres. Nighttime was the hardest...had to keep wet cloths over our chests and the fans blowing hot air 24/7.
The press stateside didn't talk about it much, I gathered at the time.
I've lived in Florida, too. Not fun w/out air.

Ludi · Posted: Sun Jun 15, 2008 7:47 pm Post subject: Re: S starting to HTF in Florida

Cashmere · Light Sweet Crude Joined: Mar 27, 2008 Posts: 1971

OP - congrats on figuring it out.

Orlando is going to be a wasteland soon.

How long before Disney is dead?

With air travel ending, the economy tanking, and gas moving higher, ever higher, it's only a matter of time before DW falls below critical mass, and the mouse is dead.
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Massive Human Dieoff must occur as a result of Peak Oil. Many more than half will die. It will occur everywhere, including where you live. If you fail to recognize this, then your odds of living move toward the "going to die" group.

misterno · Posted: Sun Jun 15, 2008 9:04 pm Post subject: Re: S starting to HTF in Florida

Micki · Posted: Sun Jun 15, 2008 9:04 pm Post subject: Re: S starting to HTF in Florida

Troyboy1208 · Posted: Sun Jun 15, 2008 9:05 pm Post subject: Re: S starting to HTF in Florida

I have lived in the orlando area my entire life. I live in a small town to the north. I grow vegetables year round and although I do drive alot, its no different than anywhere else. This is one of the few places in the country where you can grow food year round. Unless you are old or in poor health the weather won't kill you. People lived here long before AC. The city I live in was a vibrant community with a university and everything. This was before electricity. Orlando may be screwed...but there are alot of smaller communities that will fare much better when the shtf. The economy is slowing but i hardly see this as tshtf.

kpeavey · Expert Joined: Oct 04, 2004 Posts: 1313

I moved to Florida in Jan '99, came down from Maine because the snow shoveling was so much easier. I'm in a town in northern Florida, county population is 60k, biggest city is 12k. Seems like you can drive all day and not see a thing other than mules and hayfields. Get on the highway for an hour, you can be in a major city in an hour or so.

People are buying homes in this county, getting away from the traffic and crime of south Florida, the cold of northern winters, income taxes from other states. Lots of pensioners/retirees taking up the empty lots. Go to a restaurant on Tuesday, its a sea of grey -Sr citizens day, 10% off.

The county can support its current growth rate without a water supply problem for a couple more decades. Problem is the droughts we've had over the past couple of years is starting to have an effect on the water tables. There is no limits to water use yet, water your lawn in the middle of a rainstorm if you like.

The heat can be a bear. My first summer down here I don't think I went outside in the daytime. I have since then bought my own home, no central air, but I work outside most days. A fan does me just fine.

Sunburn can be a problem for those who spend little time outside. Once you burn off that first layer of skin your body responds with a fast tan on the next layer. I came down for spring break back in the mid 80s, about burned myself to a crisp. I looked like a freshly steamed lobster. Limit your exposure, you can build a deep tan in a couple of weeks. Wear a hat, sunscreen, long sleeve shirts, long pants, there are ways to avoid sunburn. It is important to understand heat stress on the body. ALWAYS have water available. I have probably a gallon in the truck in case I break down, and its a 2 year old truck.

I've been to Tampa, Miami, Orlando, all the major cities down south. I gotta tell you its a circus down there. People buy the shiniest cars so they can park them on the freeway for an hour in the morning and an hour at night. Bumper to bumper hassle. With 2 interstate highways to service the entire population, as well as serve as hurricane evacuation corridors, the entire peninsula is in a bad situation. A truckers strike can be devastating in short order. Give me the fresh air and countryside any day.

Florida does have some advantages. There is always something growing in my garden. December through February are slow, but there are plenty of things that will hold up. I get a frost here about 3-6 times a year is all. I just make sure I have frost hardy plants in the ground. Solar power is free and abundant. I heat my greenhouse, kitchen and hot water with the sun.

I will probably be leaving Florida within the year, heading back to Maine. I know of some places that are a joy to live in. Its cold and dark all winter, thats the price of perfect summers. The water is clean, fresh and everywhere. The soil has lots of rocks, but my version of permaculture does not concern itself with rocky soil. Firewood is plentiful. Land can be had for cheap. The population is low. If you know where and when to look, there are all sorts of things to eat, just waiting for you.
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