Peak Oil

Peak Oil: Open Letter to City Council

By Ryan McGreal
Published April 22, 2006

Dear Mayor Larry Di Ianni and Respected City Councillors,

San Francisco's Board of Supervisors recently issued a resolution for the city to address Peak Oil and the need to plan for the energy-constrained world ahead.

With Richard Gilbert's Peak Oil report arriving on your desks, this is an historic opportunity for Hamilton to be a world leader in acknowledging and meeting the tremendous challenges that lie ahead.

For the sake of this city, please give this issue the seriousness it deserves; read the report, heed its warnings, and take advantage of the opportunities that come from knowing what we will need and how we can prosper in the post-petroleum, energy-poor world that awaits us in the very near future.

If Hamilton prepares and plans now, we can be the envy of the country, a net energy exporter, and a thriving, vibrant city. If we ignore the issue, try to wish it away, or continue to invest in businesses and critical infrastructures with poor long-term prospects, then this city will slide into decline and dissolusion.

Here is an excerpt of the San Francisco Resolution:

RESOLVED, That the Board of Supervisors of the City and County of San Francisco acknowledges the unprecedented challenges of Peak Oil; and, be it ...

FURTHER RESOLVED, That the Board of Supervisors supports the undertaking of a city-wide assessment study in order to inventory city activities and their corollary resource requirements, evaluating the impact in each area of a decline in petroleum availability and of higher prices, with the aim of developing a comprehensive city plan of action and response to Peak Oil; and, be it

FURTHER RESOLVED, That the Board of Supervisors urges the Mayor to provide funding and direction to city departments for the development of a response plan.

(Read the rest here: http://www.energybulletin.net/15086.html)

We're already most of the way there! We already know what we need to do. Please do not squander this opportunity to be leaders in clean energy, sustainable transportation, and efficient, sustainable land use.

Peak Oil is not some flaky fringe theory. It has been acknowledged by CIBC World Markets, Goldman Sachs Investors, Simmons and Co. Intl. Energy Investment Bank, and a host of other companies. Oil prices hit $75 USD per barrel this week, and most energy analysts believe it will only continue to rise.

Based on careful research and conservative projection, Richard Gilbert believes there is a better than fifty percent chance that gasoline will surpass $4.00 per litre within the city's planning horizon. At that price, the status quo will no longer be an option.

Read the RTH Report on Peak Oil here: http://www.raisethehammer.org/article/138/.

(This was sent to: mayordiianni@hamilton.ca, bmchattie@hamilton.ca, bbratina@hamilton.ca, bmorelli@hamilton.ca, smerulla@hamilton.ca, ccollins@hamilton.ca, tjackson@hamilton.ca, bkelly@hamilton.ca, twhitehead@hamilton.ca, pbruckler@hamilton.ca, mpearson@hamilton.ca, dmitchel@hamilton.ca, mferguson@hamilton.ca, asamson@hamilton.ca, dbraden@hamilton.ca, mmccarth@hamilton.ca

Ryan McGreal, the editor of Raise the Hammer, lives in Hamilton with his family and works as a programmer, writer and consultant. Ryan volunteers with Hamilton Light Rail, a citizen group dedicated to bringing light rail transit to Hamilton. Ryan wrote a city affairs column in Hamilton Magazine, and several of his articles have been published in the Hamilton Spectator. His articles have also been published in The Walrus, HuffPost and Behind the Numbers. He maintains a personal website, has been known to share passing thoughts on Twitter and Facebook, and posts the occasional cat photo on Instagram.

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By dukeru (anonymous) | Posted April 23, 2006 at 18:59:15

nice post...there ya go...scaring everyone with this left wing, tree hugging liberal warning....

Anybody who agrees with what I just worte would do well to investigate the issue of peak oil a bit more diligently. Start with a google keyword search: "peak oil". You will find thousands of source for information. Many of them are a little far left of where I feel comfortable politically. Many of the voices and opinions warning of this impending doom may fall in line with your political leanings. You will doubtless find opinions that you have trusted until now.

Bottom line for me: When Goldman Sachs and CIBC Global, to of the most respected financial companies in the world begin to rumble about "new oil target prices between $70 and $110 pr barrel" and "$384 per barrel by 2015", I think it is safe to say that Knowledge is Power. Read. Learn. Conserve. Prosper.

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By Radio 1629AM Australia (anonymous) | Posted April 23, 2006 at 19:44:37

Thank you for this information, we will open this for discussion on our weekly "News View" segment.
Kind Regards
Kim Cathro
Radio 1629AM
Newcastle, Australia

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By laura bonenfant (anonymous) | Posted April 24, 2006 at 12:58:55

Check out audio and video interviews with the San Fransisco Oil Awareness Group. They proposed this resolution, to the board of supervisors.

on www.globalpublicmedia.com

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