I wonder if rising gas prices will affect the commuting patterns of Minneapolitans and metro area folks.
Prices are back up to record levels, and there is a good possibility that gas prices will top $2.00/gallon this summer. The British newspaper "the Guardian" recently published an article by Jeremy Rifkin entitled "The Perfect Storm..." which describes one scenario in which the weakening dollar and rising oil prices could combine to price gasoline at $3.50/gallon in the US within the next few months, but with prices settling back a bit after a spike. The article is available online at: http://www.commondreams.org/views04/0324-06.htm Setting aside the considerable economic disruption this would cause, I wonder if our local leaders have thought about the importance of mass transit in the event of significant disruptions in the oil markets. Of course, the most expert geologists researching petroleum resources have noted that resources will peak soon while worldwide demand increaes radically, and production costs will increase as well. Richard Heinberg, author of "The Party's Over: Oil, War, and the Fate of Industrial societies" is a well-respected researcher, who carefully cites the work of leading geologists in the field. Heinberg notes that gasoline prices will rise dramatically, causing economic disruption as well as political instability and aggression. It is important to note that the petroleum "Perfect Storm" will likely be dwarfed by the ecological "Perfect Storm" caused by global warming, which is also directly related to our fossil fuel addiction. Heinberg will speak at the Midwest Renewable Energy Association Fair this year (along with Amy Goodman from Democracy Now and John Stauber from the Center for Media and Democracy, for those interested). We had a reasonable Minneapolis contigent at the MREA fair last year. I hope Minneapolis political and media leaders -- as well as regular citizens -- can make time to explore the dramatic and direct links between the way we live locally and the whole planet. Eventually, the feedback loops will make this clear. If we have some foresight, it will serve us far better than hindsight. The MREA website is at: http://www.the-mrea.org/ I believe another world is possible, but only through radical local lifestyle and political action. I already live in the possible future as I trike through town. Living the future into being is the only way to make it happen, folks. --pedaling for peace and ecojustice -- Gary Hoover, Kingfield REMINDERS: 1. Think a member has violated the rules? Email the list manager at [EMAIL PROTECTED] before continuing it on the list. 2. Don't feed the troll! Ignore obvious flame-bait. For state and national discussions see: http://e-democracy.org/discuss.html For external forums, see: http://e-democracy.org/mninteract ________________________________ Minneapolis Issues Forum - A City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, Un-subscribe, etc. at: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
