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WindWalker11
Junior Member

since 2008-12-24

Posts 41

0 posted 2009-01-15 11:34 AM

Seems the question before us is:
“When will oil reserves peak?”
“How much time do we have until then?”
“What alternatives have we in place
to bring us gently
into new ways of living?”
“What secure source
of alternative energy do we have?”

Seems to me there are no answers:
the great train of progress
will careen along and go off the track
and we can blame God,
the aliens... or the spotted owl –
just as long as there’s someone to blame
then we can die happy in the dark.

The problem is not lack of energy –
the problem is usage:
we are no longer just people
sharing a small planet in space:
we’ve become consumers –
and there’s nothing natural about that.

Earth wasn’t designed to accommodate
the concept of consumerism.
It’s a finite world, after all,
an ecological marvel –
the only one in an entire solar system
and we’ve managed to eat it up –
all but the crumbs
and we’re at war over those.
There is no place else to go
to build new Wal-Marts or Home Depots.

Now what?
Solar, wind, hydrogen, ethanol?
By comparison to the raw power
of that Esso tiger in the tank:
pretty mild alternatives, these,
even if available
in remotely adequate quantities –
They are not and never will be:
only a complete change of lifestyle,
not in the future, not tomorrow
but today
will humanity survive at all.
“Blessed are the fools
for they shall die at the wheel of their SUV
and be spared the horrors of tomorrow.”

Robert E. Jordan
Member Rara Avis

since 2008-01-25

Posts 8541
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

1 posted 2009-01-15 12:52 PM

Yo WindWalker11,

You have nailed. My latest book "Sarfons" relates to the world we will leave to our grand children, etc. after all the cheap energy is used up.

Things like ethanol, and hydrogen take more energy to produce than they give back.

Corn should feed people, not cars.

Bobby

secondhanddreampoet
Member Ascendant

since 2006-11-07

Posts 6394
a 'Universalist' !

2 posted 2009-01-15 05:00 PM

"Progress" is an illusion!

GREAT ending to a timely and important 'write'!:

"only a complete change of lifestyle,
not in the future, not tomorrow
but today
will humanity survive at all.
'Blessed are the fools
for they shall die at the wheel of their SUV
and be spared the horrors of tomorrow.'(!)"

sustained applause for this 'penning'!

JamesMichael
Member Empyrean

since 1999-11-16

Posts 33336
Kapolei, Hawaii, USA

3 posted 2009-01-15 05:45 PM

Something to think about...James

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