The End of Suburbia movie trailer

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(priussoris @ May 14 2007, 04:37 PM) [snapback]441941[/snapback]</div>

The more I read about Al gore and the global warming issue the more I think it is a political movement to change the way Amercians live. I think a Suburban house wife driving with her four children back home in her SUV to her 3500 sq ft house is far more distressing to some of you than anything that happened on 9/11.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(malorn @ May 14 2007, 02:59 PM) [snapback]441955[/snapback]</div>

LOL, global warming is totally and American thing. Good thing no other scientists around the world are buying into it....

I wonder how Sweden, Switzerland, and Denmark get away with using much less energy than us yet have a better standard of living. It's a hoax!

Thanks for posting it up.

 

My take on this is that suburbia ain't goin' nowhere. The reason is simply that we already have EVs capable of sustaining it. Sure, they cost more right now, but faced with the prospect of foreclosing on a house, ruining your credit, and moving to a more crowded place, I think that they'd look quite reasonably priced to most suburbanites.

 

I know malorn is smart enough to - sooner or later - grasp reality.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(tripp @ May 14 2007, 07:05 PM) [snapback]442084[/snapback]</div>

I think the trend is disproving that at least everywhere but the U.S.. At some point in 2008 we will set a precident. It will be the first time in the history of humanity than 50% of our population will live in cities or otherwise urban environments according to The World Watch Institute. Urbanized growth is growing very quickly in most areas of the world with sometimes catestrophic effects on municipalities and governmental systems.

Our "sprawlish" tendancies will only go on so long because of it's destructive nature.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(F8L @ May 15 2007, 11:38 AM) [snapback]442535[/snapback]</div>

Europe too is struggling with sprawl and they pay out the nose (comparatively) for petrol/diesel.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Mirza @ May 14 2007, 09:56 PM) [snapback]442115[/snapback]</div>

Which reality is that?

The new world order reality?
The US succumbing to an international carbon tax reality?
The 20 ft of water over Manhattan reality?
The trade deficit doesn't matter reality as long as all the pollution is in China and India?

Which reality is it?

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(efusco @ May 14 2007, 09:24 PM) [snapback]442090[/snapback]</div>

Doc with all due respect the United States will not need middle-eastern oil long before there are any shortages. As for the 9/11 connection, the people behind that are much more threatened by the spread of western culture than our current dependence on foreign oil. A much more important question to me is what happens in the middle east when the US etal no longer need the oil? Has there ever been a time in history when so many were dependent on one resource? What will replace oil as an income source in Saudi Arabia or in Iran for that matter?

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(malorn @ May 15 2007, 02:03 PM) [snapback]442556[/snapback]</div>

It sounds like you're arguing with yourself. The middle east will be f***ed without oil revenue, and they'll go back to tribal fighting over patches of desert. It sounds like a good plan; deprive those few crazies who have access to enough money to pull off something as coordinated as 9/11.

Regarding the trailer though, I think it's a little excessive in its use of fear. I think all the things they're saying will lead to transformations in our society, but I don't think it will necessarily be earth-shattering or painful. Smart people like you and me will change our habits because we recognize the problems, and not-so-smart people will catch on soon enough because it costs less to live in a more ecologically friendly way.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Ichabod @ May 15 2007, 01:23 PM) [snapback]442582[/snapback]</div>

Iran with Nukes in that scenario scares the hell out of me. For us to stop buying middle-eastern oil will be the equivalent to a total embargo on trade with Japan or China. How would you like to tell either of those countries the economic "rape" is over? China is building up their armed forces and Japan is voting to change their "pacifist" constitiution. Coincidence?

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(priussoris @ May 15 2007, 02:44 PM) [snapback]442609[/snapback]</div>

There ya go! Oh, and btw, yes I can be scared all the time! I'm stockpiling my own small arsenal, complete with guns, bazookas, helicopters, and a healthy supply of R-12 and R-134a to keep the A/Cs running

The worst thing about living scared is that it becomes exhausting after a while. Keeping up your level of fear is a lot of work!

 

The film is worth watching if you haven't seen it yet. I've shown it a couple of times at our local library. I don't necessarily believe that the immediate future is as bleak as some portray it in the film (in particular, James Howard Kunstler has a pessimistic view- his blog, the name which can't be reproduced here, is a good read), but our American way of life- SUVs, big houses, exurbs- is clearly not sustainable when oil reserves are dwindling. Rather than Kunstler's apocalyptic vision of the near future as ghettoes of abandoned McMansions, I prefer to envision a more humane future of clean power sources, hybrids and EVs, increased rail transportation, and New Urbanism. But maybe I am overly optimistic.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(larkinmj @ May 15 2007, 12:04 PM) [snapback]442640[/snapback]</div>

I tend to feel the same way but we do need more people to see the reality of the problems we face so that they can start making the right buying and living decisions.

When calculating our current growth rates in population, consumption, and dwindling supplies of resources the future does start to look bleak when you see so may oblivious people on the freeway driving a huge inefficient vehicle or when spending time in places like Vegas and their extravagent use of energy, water and food. I relaize that exponential factors can be mitigated by alternatives and population control methods but the math and historical evidence does not lie so the urgency based on getting as many people as possible to understand the effects of not acting so that we can modify our path before the 1 minute to 12:00 scenario.

Sorry, I can' resist.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(F8L @ May 15 2007, 03:29 PM) [snapback]442662[/snapback]</div>

Well, you have to ask, "How many people that never thought they'd ever buy into hybrid technology own a hybrid car now?"

I'm one person. I know I'm not alone in being a hybrid driver who's completely reversed his view from pro-muscle car and anti-hybrid (pre-Prius) to pro-hybrid and anti-muscle car (after buying the Prius).

It's happening. One slow, painful change at a time, but it is happening.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(ozyran @ May 15 2007, 01:34 PM) [snapback]442703[/snapback]</div>

I agree. I just hope it's happening fast enough. I was one of those people too, then I took the red pill.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(ozyran @ May 15 2007, 02:34 PM) [snapback]442703[/snapback]</div>

Based on the upward trend in Prius sales it's happening at a reasonable pace. Remember, we don't pay much for petrol (even at $3/gal). Imagine what Prius and econobox sales would look like if we paid $6-7/gal.

In the words of #29, "Patience, Monty. Climb the ladder..."

 

Life After the Oil Crash

The New Permanent Condition brought on by Peak Oil


I have a co-worker who drives in to work four days a week. He says he drives (by himself) 27,000 miles a year in his commute to work and back home. He says he gets 35 mpg in his car (2005 Honda Civic). At $8.00 a gallon (which is not unthinkable, considering the recent rise in gasoline prices and factoring in declining production as theorized by peak oil), he will spend over $500 a month commuting to work. Would he give up his house and land? Probably not. Knowing him, he would rather sacrifice anything and everything to keep his property and way of life.

At $10.00 per gallon, it will cost him almost $650 a month to drive into work.

At $12.50 per gallon, it will cost him over $ 800 a month to drive to work.

Telecommuting is an option where I work, but only 1 day a week.

Another aspect of the peak oil phenomenon is that at some point, people in lower wage jobs will not be able to drive to work. It will simply be too expensive for them.

Food in the U.S. on average is transported 1,500 miles. Food will become increasingly expensive, along with other consumer goods.

Bottom line: Will this mean the end of Suburbia? For some people it will. For some people it won't. It will depend on how much money you have and how many sacrifices you are willing to make.