Friday, October 31, 2008
Presentation by John Michael Greer
7:30 to 8:45pm

John is a “Master Gardener” and an expert in organic agriculture…expressed his “Druid” faith belief. Of all of the greatest accomplishments of the 20th century, the knowledge learned about organic farming techniques has to be the greatest. We now have the knowledge and the ability to grow food throughout the year and leave the soil in better shape than when before. This accomplishment cannot be understated. In regards to Petroleum Energy, the oil in the sands of Alberta or the shale of the Dakotas is a trickle compared to what was produced from Saudi Arabia’s Oil Fields. There is a relative ignorance concerning Peak Oil due to what Ex Secretary of Energy James Schlesinger identified as American’s 2 states of condition: Complacency and Stark Panic. This is what happened during the Carter Years in office and what was felt during the Regan administration. During the 1980’s, a barrel of oil dropped to $10 which was the lowest price ever for this energy when inflation was factored in. We are at a point when the normally way of doing things just don’t work any more – and that this is a time of tremendous opportunity for change. The crisis is now world wide – problems exist economically, ecologically and in relation to energy utilization. An understanding of the situation could be similar to what may have happened in Rome: Citizens walking thru the forest and they hear the trees speak “Pan is dead” or citizens climbing Mount Olympus and hearing the rocks scream that Zeus is no more. Imagine the effect on those citizens and imagine the Peak Oil scenario and its ramifications on today’s populace.

The collapse of European Colonialism happened between 1914 and 1954 (the French Defeat in Vietnam). This brought in the Great Depression starting in the 1930’s and which was going to have a profound effect on Europeans. The traditional institutions of Europe could not come up with a plan to fit this societal collapse but Adolph Hitler did. It seems as if the German people adopted Hitler’s perspective because they knew of no other. It is up to us to communicate to everyone our perspective and our solution with regards to the peaking of our petroleum energy supply and the change that must come to society. Community groups and Religion in particular would be those groups that would have the most effect on the masses – and also experience the greatest admiration. Before religion can do this, however, religion has to redefine itself back to the basics of their teachings…love compassion, forgiveness and the promotion of the common good. Do not let Perfection get in the way of Possibilities – the grassroots organizations will have their successes as people realize the collapse around them. At the End of the Industrial Age, those people who have the vision of an alternative way will have the following of the community… Make your vision and the solution to the challenges known. The common media is too locked into the way things are normally done to advance concepts of sustainability let alone Peak Oil scenarios… so they will not promote the ideas or solutions. For this reason, it has to come from the grassroots – and if done, will be more effective since it comes from people that communities will know.

The world’s population has reached the carrying capacity of the earth. We can expect a reduction and contraction in world population. This is what happens when population exceeds its resources. Expect the end of the exploration of space – the world no longer has the energy to continue in this endeavor.