You've found my home page on HM.SWAPSPACE.COM. This is kind of a scratchpad for me. You're welcome to look at it, but please be aware that it's not very organized and most of what's here is half-baked.

From the top

The fact is peak oil is coming. We're not sure when but it will profoundly impact our way of life. It will be the defining event of the 21st century.

The objective is to leverage peakoil into an opportunity to improve the style and quality of our lives.

The means is to establish a sustainable socio-economic (and political?) infrastructure that promotes regional self-sufficiency.

Solicit participation in think tank.

Audit of like-minded organizations.

outcomes

database:

activists

websites

groups, institutions and businesses

videos, books and articles

current actions and initiatives

experts

personal name title of organizations purpose of orgizations - eg. social action, voter activism business form industry group place - common location name, county, USPS address, zip

hm.swapspace.com as the collaboration tool

First step: collaborate to identify necessary/desirable components/characteristics of the infrastructure. Or maybe just figure out where we should be investing our time and energies.

Guiding principles:

• believe in and rely upon the power of positive thinking.
• simplicity + practicality = success.
• low profile but not isolation
  • where we are known let us be known for our good works not extreme rhetoric.
• win political battles by attrition - socio-econmic darwinism
  • quietly prepare our solutions and then present them as the only practical alternative when the existing infrastructure fails.
  • be ever tolerant and inclusive and patient.
  • reach out to common citizenry - City Year, Americorp, Vista, etc.

Components of Regional Infrastructure

• locally grown food - lots already in place here; will it scale?
• public transit and regional shipping
  • light rail powered by hydroelectric
  • canal boats
• local manufacturing in support of infrastructure
  • batteries and fuel cells for driving canal boats
  • farm implements
• building materials
  • recycling may be big
  • what raw materials can be harvested locally besides wood?

Skills and knowledge that may be needed in post-petroleum days:

• sharpening hand saws
• Tom Carroll's world

Products I'd like to still have in post-carbon days:

• Wheat => flour => bread
• Lemons
• Onions
• Milk (delivered?)
• dog food
• poncho

Relevant Websites:

• thirdworldtraveler.com
• rocky mountain institute
• schumacher society
• co-op america
• hm.indymedia.org

Projects:

It's urgent

• market research and business plan for regional biodiesel production and distribution operation
• inventory of commercializable riverside and canalside properties
• experiments
  • local currencies
  • river/canal boats w/solar DC electric motors
  • tap government money
    • taxation without representation - choice gerrymandered away
      • Instead of soliciting private money, encourage potential donors to sell materials and labor for local currency.

Post-carbon adages:

• If you can't fix it, don't touch it.