Seattle "peak-oilers" prepare for a world without petroleum
An interesting review in a US mainstream newspaper of how one local Peak Oil group, Seattle Peak Oil Awareness, is spreading the message/adapting, and the members varied views. In reporting an opinion of one of the members, the article surprisingly mentions the unmentionable, 'die-off', an ecological term for what happens to a species when its food supplies crash. Andrew Garber, The Seattle Times: <<Food shortages, cars abandoned, another depression. It's the stuff of nightmares — and the type of future an eclectic group of engineers, computer experts and others in Seattle believe could await us. They're not religious zealots predicting Armageddon, nor survivalists digging bomb shelters. They believe the world is about to start running out of gas. Literally... Reid, who is 43, is preparing by investing in gold, installing solar panels and buying a home near the new light-rail line, which he figures would still operate. Other members of the group are making similar preparations for a low-energy future... What happens next, they say, will at first be similar to the 1973 oil embargo by OPEC nations — high gasoline prices, shortages, long lines at the pump — except it will never end and will only get worse.

... The group's members are taking incremental steps to adjust their finances and their lifestyles. They talk about how to grow, cook and store seasonal foods. Their Web site has forums about creating a seed bank, saving rainwater for gardening and building raised planting beds. There's discussion by some members of eventually buying some property that can be planted. They also discuss widening their social networks and establishing strong connections with neighbors, so they'll have people to count on if life gets tough... "I think Peak Oil is inevitable," Nelson said. "It's not escapable and it's going to happen within our lifetimes, so why not try to change our lives so we can live with those changes and be ready.">> Read the full article ...