So, if Amory is ok with that, we might get afew things launched before we are plunged into endless war that will consume our remaining energy when we need it to craft these lifeboats you'd like to see.

Not to rain on your parade, but if you'll focus upon
(1.) America's fiscal position vis a vis the National Debt. We are BANKRUPT.
(2.) The collapse of American newsmedia, and citizen's abandonment of the civic square
(3.) Creeping fascism, and the erosion of liberty

You'll see that the window of opportunity (within a capitalist paradigm) will not allow the market for "lifeboats" to mature fast enough to have meaningful consequence. I hold the view that collapse will be sudden and our survival lies in numerous small scale solutions, locally derived.

This is the LONG RESPONSE.
When I'm working a crowd, or speaking on the sidewalk it gets down to this:
"Do you think that promoting a fantasy world where each of 6.5 BILLION inhabitants is entitled to a powered transit vehicle can SCALE?"

I recently posted an item on the value of energy efficiency as a means of reducing our carbon footprint