I’ve been reading more (and plan to read more yet) about peak oil. It is tough topic to look at because it has forced me to reconsider the future. It is not going to be the future I imagined. I’ve always been a big science fiction fan but once again it looks like the science fiction authors are going to be off in a big way. There isn’t going to be any grand space-faring civilization spreading out to other planets or space-based habitats. Energy is the key and our civilization at the moment is based on cheap fossil fuels. The “cheap” part of that is ending. We’re at the peak more or less now. Our current civilization model has a lot of momentum that will mean it continues for awhile yet.
It’s getting late in the game to change our lives. For a long time now we’ve planned to be more self-sufficient, homestead, etc., but we’ve gone along as if there is a great deal of time. Now I feel a much greater urgency. At this point we’re encumbered by debts and bad habits. It’s difficult to shake the consumer mentality of wanting things. Even though we don’t watch TV we still find ourselves buying video games, movies, etc.
Well, we just have to do better. I need to do better. To start with I have to stop spending money on things that don’t provide us a step towards our future. Maybe they’re fun and entertaining – but I have plenty of outlets for entertainment. I want to get our debts paid off as soon as possible. Once we’re debt-free then I’d like to buy land and just pay for it – no mortgage. We can build as we go, grow our own food, and work on our self-reliance. Even as we reach the peak there’s still some time. After we all start down the slope it’s going to get harder and harder as prices rise. Time to get busy.
