ABSTRACT
Future generations will inherit a post-petroleum world whether they like it or not, simply because the wells are running dry. The question is, will we choose to be proactive and begin now to design a positive post-petroleum world, or will we continue to stall and find ourselves unprepared for the end of oil? Consider the consequences if we don't adopt post-petroleum design today. In this very likely scenario, we continue our oil-dependent ways and suffer potentially massive global shock and social disruption as supplies dwindle. Particularly in the U.S., where we are especially dependent on oil, the trauma could be severe. Rapidly rising prices resulting from scarcity will not reduce demand enough to cushion the blow, and no amount of green incentives, taxes, or regulations are going to reduce consumption fast enough to pull us out of our dependency on oil; the wells are simply running dry too fast.
