What are your contingency plans?

[DemonKnight]

I have been reading and hearing alot about the "Peak Oil" theory lately. I believe most of us will see the $12-15/gallon oil days within 10 years. What are your plans, if any, for the days ahead of soaring energy prices, empty grocery store shelves, little to no cheap overseas goods and the general calamity that will follow?

 

Are you hoping for scientific bailout in the form of alternative energy? I personally dont see it comming soon enough to offset most of the worst problems we are set to face. It is my #1 priority to "get off the grid" as much as possible over the next 10 years. I would love to move to the country, buy an electric car, have a totally self-sufficent energy plan in place, etc. But I also need to keep my job and maintain a household of four at the same time. I am really starting to get that "dread" that you guys were talking about more often than not these days. I fear the world my kids will inherit wont be remotly the same as the one even I grew up in.

 

A couple of the articles I have been reading lately:

 

Waiting for the Lights to go out - London Times

 

A tank of gas, a world of trouble - Chicago Tribune Pulitzer Prize winning journalist

 

[dmarc117]

bullets will be the new currency and guns will be the debit cards

 

we are screwed

 

http://www.usbunkers.com/

Edited July 14, 2008 by dmarc117

[tbimm]

Hoping to team up with a couple of Huddlers to build the next great transportation source. Other than that I plan to just go on about my daily life and adapt as necessary.

[Skippy]

I did not hit any of your links because I sat though a major energy meeting the other day that has left with with gloom and doom as my future outlook. We are headed down a path that is going to have lots of bumps and I don't think that most of us have a clue to how bad it can get.

 

Having said all that, I just don't have a clue what the "normal" guy like me to do. I know that I am not going to purchase a new car for a long time as I am sure there are going to be solid fuel alternatives available. As for the rest, I just don't know.

[tbimm]

no food on shelves?

 

Only cults have a plan for that much loss.

As fuel prices rise so will the cost of getting food to the shelves. I don't see empty shelves anytime soon. However planning for everything costing more, to a point of hardship, is not a bad idea.

[Grits and Shins]

Well the price of oil is going to have to significantly increase to make it a cost effect measure to employ some of the existing alternatives. At this point the return on investment for oil alternatives will not cover the bigger sticker price.

[SheikYerbuti]

Everything you need to know was documented in 1981. Watch, learn and prepare.

[whomper]

Cant we drill in Alaska or something ? I am going to live off of my Garden. Tomatoes, Cukes and Eggplant is on the menu at Casa de whomp

[Jimmy Neutron]

I don't know exactly how fast the S will HTF, but I believe its coming. Soaring fuel prices and low food stores are a bad omen. All it would take is one really bad growing season and we'd all be in a world of hurt.

 

My suggestions:

 

1) Know how to grow and preserve your own food. Knowing how to hunt and preserve meat won't hurt either.

 

2) Be able to protect said food

 

3) Have access to alternative transportation, preferably the kind with hooves.

 

But, who knows?

[Skippy]

3) Have access to alternative transportation, preferably the kind with hooves.

Then there is the whole feed the transportaion problem.

[Ursa Majoris]

Waiting for the Lights to go out - London Times

Long but interesting.

[polksalet]

I don't know exactly how fast the S will HTF, but I believe its coming. Soaring fuel prices and low food stores are a bad omen. All it would take is one really bad growing season and we'd all be in a world of hurt.

 

My suggestions:

 

1) Know how to grow and preserve your own food. Knowing how to hunt and preserve meat won't hurt either.

 

2) Be able to protect said food

 

3) Have access to alternative transportation, preferably the kind with hooves.

 

But, who knows?

 

Tell me the truth, is that "canned butter" any good?

[Egret]

Necessity is the mother of invention. We haven't needed to figure out alternatives before. Once we do need to have alternatives, we will meet the challenge. It may not be pretty, but it will happen.

[frenzal rhomb]

I'm hoping everyone converts then the demand will drop and I can go on business as usual at 1.00 per gallon

[DemonKnight]

Well the price of oil is going to have to significantly increase to make it a cost effect measure to employ some of the existing alternatives. At this point the return on investment for oil alternatives will not cover the bigger sticker price.

 

And herin lies exactly the problem. If we wait for "market forces" to dictate shoring up our energy policy and "oil world" infrastructure it will be well past too late.

[Grits and Shins]

And herin lies exactly the problem. If we wait for "market forces" to dictate shoring up our energy policy and "oil world" infrastructure it will be well past too late.

 

I'm all for those that can afford the higher priced current alternatives going out "and doing the right thing". As for me I'm already struggling to make ends meet I can't afford to pay the premium required for the alternatives when the cheaper oil based transportation is still available. If the government was serious about addressing this issue they would implement incentive programs to equalize the costs.

[The Holy Roller]

I am more concerned with my children and grandchildren's world. Owning a farm (free and clear) is our safety net for the near future but do I want to live the way my great grandparents lived there? They were very much self-sufficient but obviously did not have the luxuries we take for granted today. Survival is not questioned but quality of life is. You city slickers? Good luck. Now might be a good time to "find" God.

[AtomicCEO]

Maybe we should stop electing oil millionaires to the office of the president.

 

In the last 8 years, we've made it easier to use oil, and harder to use alternative fuels... which is so retarded it's just startling.

 

- It pollutes

- it gives money to people in the middle east who want to kill us

- it's really really expensive and the price continues to rise

 

If you don't think that now is the time to invest heavily in alternatives, you're not thinking clearly for some reason.

[Savage Beatings]

I will support and protect my family first and foremost. If that means I have to destroy all of you, so be it. Let the post-apocalyptic games begin!

[DemonKnight]

I'm all for those that can afford the higher priced current alternatives going out "and doing the right thing". As for me I'm already struggling to make ends meet I can't afford to pay the premium required for the alternatives when the cheaper oil based transportation is still available. If the government was serious about addressing this issue they would implement incentive programs to equalize the costs.

 

"But Daddy, why are we eating worm soup AGAIN?"

 

"Because the Government didnt do anything to help us quick enough."

 

I do not want to be having this conversation. I am not going to wait for someone else to fix this problem.

 

Find your Senator

 

Find your Representative

 

I just shot off an email to mine. Feel free to fill in the blanks and use this template. I will post my results in this thread:

 

"Dear Mr/Mrs (blank),

 

I am writing you today with the gravest of concern in my heart. It is that of the well being of every single person in your district. As you may or may not know "Peak Oil" is a real phenemenon and by some estimates is starting to begin now. With Federal aid, again by most estimates, it will take fully 20 years for the transition from transportation oil to renewable energy (not to mention heating oil).

 

With $12-15/gallon gasoline predicted in the very near future and no word out of Washington on how we intend to fix it, I am begining to fear that the Federal Government, that I helped elect and pay, for is woefully inadequate to face the comming crisis ahead. Please help me assauge my fears by outlining your stance and response to the issue that will be raised by "Peak Oil".

 

The backing of my family rides on your answer. Dependant upon your answer, I will be forced to either 1) Trust that you either have mine and my families best interest at heart 2) Elect someone who does understand that this is an immenent problem and have mine and my families well being as thier top priority, or 3) Move to another county/state that already has the infrastructure for me to consider myself self-sufficent of any governmental help.

 

Thank you."

[Grits and Shins]

"But Daddy, why are we eating worm soup AGAIN?"

 

"Because the Government didnt do anything to help us quick enough."

 

I do not want to be having this conversation. I am not going to wait for someone else to fix this problem.

 

Find your Senator

 

Find your Representative

 

I just shot off an email to mine. Feel free to fill in the blanks and use this template. I will post my results in this thread:

 

"Dear Mr/Mrs (blank),

 

I am writing you today with the gravest of concern in my heart. It is that of the well being of every single person in your district. As you may or may not know "Peak Oil" is a real phenemenon and by some estimates is starting to begin now. With Federal aid, again by most estimates, it will take fully 20 years for the transition from transportation oil to renewable energy (not to mention heating oil).

 

With $12-15/gallon gasoline predicted in the very near future and no word out of Washington on how we intend to fix it, I am begining to fear that the Federal Government, that I helped elect and pay, for is woefully inadequate to face the comming crisis ahead. Please help me assauge my fears by outlining your stance and response to the issue that will be raised by "Peak Oil".

 

The backing of my family rides on your answer. Dependant upon your answer, I will be forced to either 1) Trust that you either have mine and my families best interest at heart 2) Elect someone who does understand that this is an immenent problem and have mine and my families well being as thier top priority, or 3) Move to another county/state that already has the infrastructure for me to consider myself self-sufficent of any governmental help.

 

Thank you."

 

But Daddy ... why are being evicted from our house?

 

Because Daddy threw fiscal prudence out the window in order to pay more money for things that don't use oil. We couldn't afford it but with $12 gas coming we had to do it. Now we won't have to worry about it because we don't have a house or a car so we won't have to pay for $12 gas.

Edited July 14, 2008 by Grits and Shins

[DemonKnight]

But Daddy ... why are being evicted from our house?

 

Because Daddy threw fiscal prudence out the window in order to pay more money for things that don't use oil. We couldn't afford it but with $12 gas coming we had to do it. Now we won't have to worry about it because we don't have a house or a car so we won't have to pay for $12 gas.

 

So you are saying that you are completely helpless? Okay, sucks to be you.

[Perchoutofwater]

I'm not overly concerned. With regard to gas, I will continue to charge it off to our customers as a reimbursable. Roughly 65% of our work is schools, 30% is hospitals, with only 5% being other. With the government mandating classroom size, new schools will continue to be built. With the baby boomers getting older, new hospital wings and smaller satellite hospitals will continue to be built.

 

With regard to food, I'll kill my meat myself, and I can always have my wife and kids shoot a couple of deer each as well. My wife and her sister have about a 1/2 acre garden so we should have produce, and living in a rural setting, there are a number of farmers markets close buy. There is one about a 1 1/2 miles from my house another about 5 miles from the house and two more within 10 miles of the house.

 

My wife is interviewing at two new districts this week. If she gets the job in one of them, we will probably stay where we are, if she gets the job at the other one, we will probably move about 15 miles from where we currently live. If we do move I plan on building a new much more energy efficient house. I may even put up some solar panels. Check out this link. At the bottom of the page it links to another page that tells you the rebates / incentives offered for adding solar panels. Here in Texas I can purchase a 3kW system for $1,320 after rebates and tax credits. I have not looked into the installation cost, but I wouldn't imagine it would be too much, particularly if you do the mounting yourself, and just hire an electrician to do the tie in with the utility company.

Edited July 14, 2008 by Perchoutofwater

[Cunning Runt]

I frankly don't buy any of it.

 

I am making no contingency plans as I see no need for it. You can find articles like those posted and converesely, there'd be others saying exactly the opposite.

 

There's been fear-mongering for centuries and we're all still here. Just one more example.

[Grits and Shins]

So you are saying that you are completely helpless? Okay, sucks to be you.

 

I never said I was completely helpless. What I said is we are already living beyond our means. Which means I am NOT going to pay MORE money for alternative fuel solutions when I can still use oil solutions cheaper. But you should feel free to employ the most expensive solutions ... the more of you guys that are willing to pay MORE money to use less oil means the longer I will get to use cheaper oil.