Friday October 31, 2008
Mr. Pat Murphy Introduction Presentation
7:00 to 7:30p.m.

This was the 5th Peak Oil Conference offered by Community Solutions. Since the first conference, Community Solutions has addressed the Peak Oil problem in three ways: Food Production, Energy Conservation and Local Self Reliance. Community Solutions is an agent promoting the acquisition of skills for people in their food, housing and transportation needs. Community Solutions provides a “perspective” toward the Peak Oil problem as well as serving as a catalyst for the adoption of future visions opportunities.

Peak Oil, according to the Association for the Study of Peak Oil (ASPO), the actual year for the peak is 2008 where during the 1st Peak Oil Conference, they anticipated Peak Oil to hit around 2012. In the last 5 years, the world’s production of fossil fuels experienced a 69% reduction in availability according to the International Energy Agency (2008). The last 5 years, the world experienced the highest inequity among peoples of the world than at any other time in its history – this correlates to the use and price of fossil fuels. This energy use promotes “our way of life”.

Solutions are being recognized as not being able to work…The Future Gen Project had been canceled by President George Bush because it was proven not to work. The United States manufactures predict that by 2012, a car that would run on coal would be manufactured but will General Motors be around to make it? “Speaking Truth to Power” has proven ineffectual because the power already knows the problem and cannot address its solution in innovative and imaginative ways. Any change would have to come up from “the bottom up” because the top doesn’t care. Community Solutions offers the following suggestions:

Give Up Our Addictions to Technology
Start to Teach Return On Investment, Life Cycle Costing, Energy Utilization and Energy Returned on Energy Invested in higher education

JohnK