The great tsunami, the giant wave that will change our lifestyles forever

[4dsc]

http://onlinejournal.com/artman/publish/article_508.shtml

I like this story!! I'm glad this website did this story!! And I keep wondering just how many DU'er are still in denial about peak oil??

A long-predicted tsunami is heading toward the shores of America, a wave of incredible proportions, gathering momentum with each passing day. America has had many, many warnings of how this giant wave would develop, but these warnings have been totally ignored. Very soon our American society will experience an extremely painful awakening to the dark specter of "Peak Oil" as it looms on our horizon and then comes crashing down upon our nation. Peak Oil will result in drastic and dramatic changes to our society and our lifestyles, the likes of which we will find extremely difficult to comprehend.

While I am personally convinced that Peak Oil is a definite reality that America and the world cannot avoid, it seems apparent that Americans simply have no conception of this monumental problem they will soon have to face. They hear little to nothing on network or cable TV or in their newspapers or magazines. To become knowledgeable, Americans must tune in to the Internet. Websites such as peakoil.com, fromthewilderness.com are good starting points. Answers.com is a great website that identifies a wide array of other websites that concentrate on Peak Oil, as well as all sorts of references and links to essays and discussions on this subject. Googling "Peak Oil" will also bring up numerous links.

[rfranklin]

1. thank god we listened to Jimmy Carter and prepared by...

developing alternate energy sources and conservation methods.

[theHandpuppet]

4. And some of us are discouraged from preparing

Depending on what part of the country you may live in, taking steps to prepare may be more difficult than you might believe. My partner and I wanted to retrofit our 1891 home for solar only to find we would have to go out of state to find someone qualified to install a system. Well okay, we were willing to bite a very expensive bullet only to find out that as the law stands we would not be allowed to install solar at all, since the power co has no agreement to buy back any "excess".

So think about it. How many people are now qualified to install the solar generators we could use to make the transition from fossil fuels? How much will it cost and how many Americans could really afford a retrofit? Are local and state laws going to ALLOW you to install it in the first place? Remember, the govt will give you a tax break to drive a damn Hummer but try getting a little help to install solar power in your home!

Fortunately, we don't live in an outlying suburb and are within walking distance of shops and services. We started a garden several years ago and now have the hang of organic gardening. We sold our truck and downsized to an more economical, smaller wagon. we're doing what we can because we know that tsunami is coming. I truly don't think the vast majority of Americans have any idea what is coming nor the skills to survive a post-oil world.

[Boomer]

5. Postscript about our energy scenario

>> ...the power co has no agreement to buy back any "excess". <<

I was willing to forgo any profit from this arrangment, but it turned out that there is no approved mechanism for meshing a residential solar system with our local power company grid. Unless we are willing to go completely off the grid, depending only our own system, there was no way to legally install an alternative energy system.

Adding to our sense of urgency and frustration, our heating is from a gas furnace. So we know we're running out of time and face some expensive renovation to install an electric furnace, which at best is only a stop-gap measure.

So just how much money do we sink into this house? If we stay here for the rest of our lives, the investment may well be worth it. But what if we move in a few years? Our house is already one of the most expensive in a blue-collar neighborhood that does not attract high-end buyers. If they have that much money to spend, they are going to spend it on one of the spanking new developments rising like mushrooms all over this area.

[Dead_Parrot]

7. Doom! Doom!

With my patented Helmet O' Doom firmly in place, I'd ask how much land you've got - you need about 5 acres for a low tech life, but that should give you scope for a bit of protien (chickens, a cow or a couple of sheep, maybe a fishpond) some woodland for fuel, and all the crop space you need (plus a bit for herbs, spices and other essentials). Annoyingly, this would probably feed and clothe 6 people, but you'll struggle to manage 2 people on 2 acres. If you're significantly below this, it may not be the best place to fix up as a base (especially if it's in florida, but that's another story. Think icecaps)

Personally, I'm not counting on an electricity supply and am mugging up on stuff like smelting, soap and DIY cement, but that's just me :)

[Boomer]

8. 1/3 of an acre, in the middle of town

Which is why our alternatives are rather limited. We live in a historic district, which could impose buildings restrictions. Don't know, since the city enginer had never been asked about solar in this county. Sigh.

And as you guessed, there are NO rebates for solar in West Virginny.

So it's difficult for us to prepare for even a moderate energy and/or gas shortage without relocating. Which is the option we're now beginning to take a lot more seriously.

[Dead_Parrot]

9. Hey, ask the guy...

who now lives 11,700 miles away from his friends and family. It's a pisser, I can tell you.

[BR_Parkway]

11. I thought the Fed Energy Act (national giveaway for poor, starving

oil companies) did include a requirement for the grids to let people hook in under 20KW systems?

If you think Peak Oil is pretty certain, the whole concept of moving every couple of years is finished.

[Dead_Parrot]

6. On the cost question...

It costs around $30k for a typical off-grid package, and some states give a rebate (although I'm not sure about WV. probably not with the coal lobby!). This is well out of the range of most Americans, as I'm sure you'll realise...

edit - see also my reply to Boomer...

Doom! Doom! :rofl:

[JohnWxy]

2. have you ever thought of listening to some music by Yanni? It's real nice

and callllllmmingg..

[Warren Stupidity]

3. I'd rather have my ear drums pierced.

Peak oil is real. Ignorance is bliss.

[hatrack]

10. ROFLMAO!!!! Especially when combined with Valium & Chardonnay!

But what of Zamfir, Master of the Pan Flute? Won't his slightly breathy musical magic soothe the existential woes of today's environment?

:toast:

[lyonn]

12. Too bad Reagan took over and we had repub

control for far too many years. Carter tried to convince government to take oil serious and to look for permanent alternatives. But congress had other things on their agenda, obviously. All I can suggest is, hustle, hustle all you creative genius', fix it for us. Bush doesn't believe in changing things quickly as they have oil left to sell us.