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September 21, 2006
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September 21, 2006 |
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The world community created the fuel shortage problem. But according to leaders at The Community Solution, who are organizing the Third U.S. Conference on Peak Oil and Community Solutions, it is the individual who is responsible for fixing it. Making a personal shift in lifestyle to reduce consumption and prevent further decline of the environment will be the focus of this year’s conference, “Beyond Energy Alternatives,” from Friday through Sunday, Sept. 22–24. The conference will take place in Kelly Hall at Antioch College. The first two peak oil conferences sponsored by The Community Solution in 2004 and 2005 aimed to define the problem of peak oil, which is the day when world oil production will start to decline, according to Pat Murphy, director of The Community Solution, a project of Community Service. Earlier conferences also focused on a broad spectrum of solutions to address peak oil, including the development of alternative and renewable energy sources. But more energy sources will only feed our current habit of consuming at an unsustainable level, Murphy said. The onset of peak oil, estimated to be as soon as 2010, will likely outpace our ability to find a suitable energy replacement, he said. Taking action as individuals to reduce energy consumption can happen immediately, Murphy said, as long as people are committed to living more simply and focusing more heavily on relationships rather than material wealth. “It’s about smaller housing, riding bikes, working less and getting back your time,” Murphy said, indicating that if people would use the time gained on relationships rather than on consuming, they would be much healthier and happier. “It’s replacing consumption with relationships with tremendous return,” he said. “Relationships don’t require fossil fuel energy.’” Global warming is a direct result of the CO2 emissions caused by burning fuel, Murphy said, and the issue of peak oil has become synonymous with climate change. The unpredictably chaotic climate that has ravaged the coastlines of many countries in the past several years is another reason to reduce consumption, according to Murphy. And although oil will still be available when peak oil hits, he said, “the question is, do we dare burn the second half of the oil?” Making a cultural change will involve where people get their food, what kind of houses they live in, what cars they drive and how far they drive them, Murphy said. If a community can cut its vehicular energy use in half, for instance, by buying used or energy-efficient cars and by engaging in ride sharing, he said, it would help to cut the 57 barrels of oil each person in the U.S. consumes each year. “If we can use less, we can influence what’s being made in this country,” Murphy said. “Our lifestyle and wealth is a function of the energy we consume.” Organizers are expecting about 275 participants at this year’s conference, almost 100 fewer people than previous years, largely due to the increasing number of regional peak oil conferences around the country, which is a positive thing, Murphy said. All the events take place in Kelly Hall on the Antioch College campus, except for the small-group workshops on Sunday afternoon, which are in the newly refurbished basement of the Antioch science building. Meals will be offered in the Antioch Inn. The conference begins at 7 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 22, with a keynote address by David Orr, chair of the environmental studies program at Oberlin College and author of five books on ecological building design and politics and the environment. He will speak about peak oil as it relates to climate change. Saturday morning speakers, including Richard Heinberg, an internationally known peak oil educator, will address changing lifestyles to accommodate relocalizing our needs and services. Saturday afternoon will be devoted to ecological building practices. Vicki Robin’s talk at 7 p.m. on Saturday night will focus on the Simplicity movement and “The Freedom of Limits.” Robin will talk about how to make a personal transformation by choosing to live simply. Robin is the founder of the New Road Map Foundation and co-author of Your Money or Your Life, a book about how to live more deliberately and meaningfully by gaining control of money. Both talks will be given in Kelly Hall. Sunday morning will open with discussions about energy-efficient farming practices. Participants will meet in small focus groups in the afternoon before reconvening at 3 p.m. for closing remarks on “The Peak Oil Opportunity: A Call to Leadership,” by Megan Quinn, community outreach director for The Community Solution. Quinn believes this year’s focus on personal responsibility is a practical approach that allows everyone to become involved in the solution by making personal changes. “Everyone has to do something about peak oil; we all need to take responsibility,” she said. “It’s become increasingly clear that we can’t wait for the peak to take action.” Residents can register at the conference from 4 to 6:30 p.m. Friday, in Kelly Hall, or they may pre-register with Community Service by calling 767-2161 or e-mailing www.communitysolution.org. The cost for the whole weekend for Community Service members is $140, and for non-members the cost is $155. Students can register for $90. Participants may also sign up for individual events or for single days, but organizers request notification and prepayment for individualized packages. Contact: lheaton@ysnews.com Third U.S. peak oil conference schedule of events (top)
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