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Brad et. al.<BR>
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Thanks for the link to the article about how Willits, California is addressing the energy crisis (and other associated issues), which I think should not be viewed as something that will happen in the future, but is happening right now.<BR>
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Vision2020 gets numerous complaints about content, but often there are critical issues that are addressed on this list that garner scant attention. Sorry I missed your previous post on this issue where you first presented this link.<BR>
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<A HREF="http://www.metroactive.com/papers/sonoma/08.10.05/willits-0532.html">http://www.metroactive.com/papers/sonoma/08.10.05/willits-0532.html</A><BR>
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Some may think depletion of fossil fuels is not a "local" issue, but if any issue is both local and global at once, it is this one! Unless you are living in a culture unplugged from the critical need for fossil fuels.<BR>
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I wonder when the hoarding of gas, bought at what will be assumed to be lower prices and easier availability, will start to become more common?<BR>
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We can debate when this will happen, but that it will happen is not debatable! Well, that is, unless the USA starts a "Manhattan Project" type of effort to both save existing fossil fuel resources as much as possible, and then start transitioning aggressively to other energy sources and technology. People can point to the development of new energy sources and more efficient technology, but the facts are that the US and global consumption of fossil fuels, in a pattern that creates continuing dependence on these fossil fuels for economic viability, continues to increase.<BR>
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When we see an actual leveling or a reduction in fossil fuel consumption, then we will know the problem is really being addressed!<BR>
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The free market conservatives who think the marketplace will solve these problems are ignoring that the marketplace does not focus on the costs of business as usual (continuing squandering of fossil fuels) fifty years in the future (or whenever the fossil fuel crisis hits hard) in the quarterly reports given to stockholders, when we will see the impact of the lack of sufficient planning now occurring for the end of the age of cheap oil.<BR>
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Ted Moffett</FONT></HTML>