Getting the word out

Ooo, ooo! Energy Bulletin just announced a new movie about global energy politics--a thriller called The Deal. It stars Christian Slater and was made on a low budget to preserve its independent point of view. The website even includes discussion questions for after the show. Its something that people who are more conservative would like to go see, for the drama. The trailer looked good, too. It opens June 17th in selected theatres. I hope someone who goes will post their comments. Check it out!

As I've become aware of peak oil I've been walking around the house saying "goodbye" to things... the rooms, the view, the A/C, the fridge. Things in my purse. Nail polish. Gum. Deodorant, for God's sake. Maybe I am coming into the "acceptance" stage of my grieving process. Next comes action.

I read an interview with U.S. Congressman Roscoe Bartlett in which he discusses his special order speeches about peak oil. He said something that caught my attention:

We need to change the culture, that is absolutely right. We have had a culture which says "the more energy you use, the more successful you are." We need to have a culture that says "the less energy you can use to be comfortable, the better off you are and the better you should feel about yourself."

That is a tall order. I am struck by this when I make the transition from doing research on the web for several hours, then going to watch TV. Why isn't this the top news story? Why aren't there educational shows about how to reduce our dependency on oil in our daily lives? Why didn't we take action 25 years ago? We're late!

As pressured as the situation is, we need to think critically on a personal and a political level. We don't have the luxury of time to correct our mistakes. Getting the word out, educating ourselves and others is the first step. Helping people through the emotional implications is very important in my view. Connecting with others who are going through it or who have gone through it helps. That's where things like the bulletin boards about peak oil come in.

Then comes the brainstorming, the decision making, the action plan and implementation. A whole lotta work, in other words. And not a fun prospect. But what I gather from these bulletin boards is that taking action helps one feel more empowered and in control. So I think that baby steps along the way are important psychologically, even if they don't make a big difference (but those small things add up!) Mr. Logan and I carpooled today. And yes, that felt good.