Peak Oil

I am beginning to become aware of the phenomenon of Peak Oil. More and more books are appearing in my library that tell us that we've reached the optimum oil production, and it's going to start to decrease as world demand increases.

We are already seeing the difference at the pump. Two dollar gas is never coming back.

As oil goes, so may some, if not all, of the things we take for granted - cheap and plentiful food, air conditioning, transportation, even the little plastic easter eggs that still linger in my house. I know that any really bad events that may come of Peak Oil are still a few years away. The dillemma is this: How do I learn to farm, and make my own clothes, and install solar panels?

George and I have begun to discuss moving to a small town where you can get to the farmer's market by bicycle. We have a little garden plot in our backyard and I'm going to try to learn how to harvest and preserve the food.

I wonder if communities will spring up to solve these problems. I think if it gets really bad, living in a communal place where people have differing skills to bring to bear will probably help.

Or, slowly rising oil prices may spur economic strategies in the marketplace to deal with the idea that energy will not be as plentiful in the future. Maybe there will finally be viable mass transit.

I wonder if my profession has a future. Libraries - will mass market books become a thing of the past?

I googled "green communities" and "sustainable communities". Lots of stuff listed.

Here is one that specifically talks about community organizing:
http://www.sustainable.org/