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Geologist: In Terms of Supply and Demand, the Oil Peak Is Past

A fabulous array of opinions on a crucial subject. Where is the critical path to the future? 1. Recognize that preserving a long term environment for life on earth is more important than short term profit. 2. Reduce and, eventually, eliminate wasteful uses of energy. 3. Pedal to the metal on investing in solar, wind, geothermal and other forms of renewable energy. 4. Bring energy consumption down to a level that is consistent with both preserving the environment while nurturing life at a humane level. 5. Gradually creating alternatives to "the global economy" by fostering local and regional capabilities in agriculture, manufacturing, marketing, tourism and all other aspects of life. 6. Restricting the use of oil to those functions for which it may be an irreplaceable resource, such as lubrication, jet fuel and plastics. 7. Burning coal only when that can be done in a non-polluting way. 8. Relying on nuclear energy to produce electricity over a transition period (20 years?) which will be required to make the shift to renewables and then gradually eliminating nuclear power unless safety and environmental concerns have been eliminated.