Too much dependancy on one resource.

I'll be the first to admit that I have too much dependancy on the Internet, the web is the sole conduit for every bill I pay, appointment I schedule, stock I buy/sell, property I research, entertainment and communication. What if a material were to to be found in single region that when put together will speed data 1,000,000,000 times the current technologys. Do you think that global competition would nurture that region or with lessons learned from oil would continue to develop alternative techs?

http://apnews.myway.com/article/20050810/D8BT56DO0.html

Politics aside, and I'm guilty as charged as citizens are we responsible for changing the course or do we have to rely on government? El Presidente brought the question to the forum last year regarding biodielsel investment and a few members expressed interest in hopes of turning the tide of using a single resource.

So the question is as a citizen of the world what do you think the simplest act is, as a citizen to curb one resource dependency?

Please lets not blame the current US leadership this problem is older than anyone alive today.

[Hogweed]

i think developing alternative sources will happen, it's just a matter of when and why. i would love to see us as a people let 'opec' try to sell their oil to the rest of the world while we make the necessary sacrifices and investments in alternative sources. i believe that the middle east would be in more trouble without our $$ than we would be w/ out the oil. eventually, anyway. the problem is are we willing to make those sacrifices?

[anthonyb]

Conservation, conservation, conservation.

The market for petroleum products depends on both supply and demand. We can diversify our supply to reduce dependence, but reducing demand is just as helpful (and easier on the wallet). Petroleum based raw materials goes into EVERYTHING, not just gasoline and diesel - if it's plastic, it was probably sourced from petroluem base stock. And if it wasn't, petroleum probably supplied the energy to make it.

Buy less stuff. Recycle more often (reduces trash, and decreases need for virgin petroleum products). Use less energy. Encourage others to do the same.

Sometimes this is counter-intuitive. The amount of oil and energy that goes into make all the pieces of a new car, for example, is probably equal to or more than, say, a 5 mpg increase in fuel economy will get you over 5 years.

[koop]

Interesting question. Short answer: Live where you work/work where you live.

Home based offices and mixed use "new urbanism" developments make a lot of sense. Efficient use of space and resources. If you can walk to work or drive a couple miles your spending less on gas and maintenance, your car last longer and you get more free time that you are not spending trapped in traffic.

Originally Posted by anthonyb

Conservation, conservation, conservation.

The market for petroleum products depends on both supply and demand. We can diversify our supply to reduce dependence, but reducing demand is just as helpful (and easier on the wallet). Petroleum based raw materials goes into EVERYTHING, not just gasoline and diesel - if it's plastic, it was probably sourced from petroluem base stock. And if it wasn't, petroleum probably supplied the energy to make it.

Buy less stuff. Recycle more often (reduces trash, and decreases need for virgin petroleum products). Use less energy. Encourage others to do the same.

Sometimes this is counter-intuitive. The amount of oil and energy that goes into make all the pieces of a new car, for example, is probably equal to or more than, say, a 5 mpg increase in fuel economy will get you over 5 years.

The problem that I see with oil is the elastisity of price for oil in the US has yet to be tested. I think that cars should be developed to run on multi fuel. I do agree that recycling is way below where it should be and it could be a big step in the quest for fuel indepenency of the country.

Originally Posted by koop

Interesting question. Short answer: Live where you work/work where you live.

Home based offices and mixed use "new urbanism" developments make a lot of sense. Efficient use of space and resources. If you can walk to work or drive a couple miles your spending less on gas and maintenance, your car last longer and you get more free time that you are not spending trapped in traffic.

I'm pretty much set, when I'm not traveling my developments are within a 5 mile radius of my home and most of the plans on the drawing board are pretty close as well. That wasn't by design either I built here because it was cheap, now partly because of my own actions its not so cheap......go figure


Slight hijack aside, we over utilize so many other non renewable materials copper, steel and alluminum come to mind, Gysum is another problem on the horizon with new homes.

[yal]

Neccessity is the mother of invention. No where is that more true than in our oil dependency. When the s**t hits the fan we'll have no choice but to innovate. Higher prices will be the catalyst.

[Mark DiSilvestro]

Originally Posted by koop

Interesting question. Short answer: Live where you work/work where you live.

Home based offices and mixed use "new urbanism" developments make a lot of sense. Efficient use of space and resources. If you can walk to work or drive a couple miles your spending less on gas and maintenance, your car last longer and you get more free time that you are not spending trapped in traffic.

Great idea, but not all of us work in offices. In many areas, you're restricted by zoning regulations!

Happy Motoring, Mark

[H2O2]

New Urbanism typically requires alterations to zoning laws, allowing mixed use facilities where they are not currently allowed. The idea is to create urban villages with multi-level commercial, residential and recreational development all in dense walkable clusters. This tends to promote a sense of community and reduces reliance on cars as the sole source of transportation--sprawl is bad.

Dan Burden of Walkable Communities, Inc. is an inspiring speaker and a true visionary thinker. http://www.walkable.org/

Originally Posted by yal

Neccessity is the mother of invention. No where is that more true than in our oil dependency. When the s**t hits the fan we'll have no choice but to innovate. Higher prices will be the catalyst.

Again what are those prices and we are so entrenched with oil techs that it will take 10 years to get something reasonable to the market.

I'm also not talking about energy only, if the Chinese build that big a$$ tower it will cause a worldwide shortage of drywall, allocations will go into place and nw home prices will soar even further. This is well known and there is still very little recycling of gypsum products. Waste is often 15% or higher on a new home and 25% isn't uncommon on remodels.

Originally Posted by H2O2

New Urbanism typically requires alterations to zoning laws, allowing mixed use facilities where they are not currently allowed. The idea is to create urban villages with multi-level commercial, residential and recreational development all in dense walkable clusters. This tends to promote a sense of community and reduces reliance on cars as the sole source of transportation--sprawl is bad.

Dan Burden of Walkable Communities, Inc. is an inspiring speaker and a true visionary thinker. http://www.walkable.org/

Segway City.

[Mark DiSilvestro]

Would like to see a degree of mixed-use allowed in existing communities, rather than have to move to a planned 'Segway-City'. I'd still like to keep my car for special occasions, like weddings, funerals and occasional trips outside of walking distance.
Also would like to see more developement on a grid plan. In the area where I live, built in the early '50s, there are multiple routes in, out and through my neighborhood, unlike the Cul-de-Sac developements that are so common today, where one or two entrances become traffic choked during rush hour.

Happy Motoring, Mark

[H2O2]

These ideas are creeping into a lot of city planning, at least around here in the Northwest. In Washington, we require each county to put together a Comprehensive Plan that establishes Urban Growth Areas (UGA) to reduce sprawl and preserve rural character and economic development. The bulk of county growth must now take place within the UGAs which requires a lot of infill and increased density. To do this smartly, planners are required to change existing zoning regs, allowing more mixed use vertical development and multi-modal transportation options.

http://www.geocities.com/PicketFence/5192/tokyo2.html

and heres another good one:

I grew up with the founders of this prize, their dad owned Gannet.

http://www.celestopea.com/

http://www.freedomship.com/freedomship/overview/overview.shtml

Some of you might not like the name of the ship but i'm sure you can name your suite whatever you like. I wonder how laws would be enforced on a ship like this, is their a maritime law or do the laws of the country that the ship is flagged apply?