Survey of the ecological and economic resources critical to the perpetuation of our American way of life.

In the heady month of July 2008 oil skyrocketed to $147 a barrel more than doubling the price of crude over the 12 months to that time. Many thought oil would race past the $150 mark on the way to $200 and to $300 a barrel, and beyond in the imminent year or two ahead.

Congressional leaders use the sound bite, “We can’t drill our way out of this oil mess.” Of course; who ever claimed we could? But we can’t conserve our way out either. Reducing demand is a long-term process; “evolution” may be a more accurate term. Tightening CAFE standards will ease demand, but the benefit would be spread over many years. For long-term reduction, we would have to overhaul our daily travel patterns through societal lifestyle changes while we restructure our cities and suburbs. Such fundamental changes will take a human generation or longer. It took decades for the car culture to evolve in the U.S. It will take that long to reverse it.

A digest of news and commentary from a UK peak oil perspective.

Interview with Dennis Meadows (Limits to Growth co-author) Modeling Planetary Dynamics
When the going gets tough, economists go very quiet
Fed Chief bleak on economic outlook

Why fly when you can float?
Boeing, SkyHook team up to launch heavy-lift blimp
In San Francisco, mapping out a trail on the water
Rising fuel prices hit transit riders
General Motors plans US overhaul amid bankruptcy talk
Designing cars for low-carbon chic

Are We in the peak of an oil bubble?
Are big bets by speculators driving up oil?
Oil majors: Oil price hike due to fundamentals, not speculation
Analyzing the analysts (Part 1 of 2)
Oil: the new reality

The breathtaking run-up in oil prices is linked to the crisis of world financial institutions. What the U.S. Government should not do.

Paul Krugman: Fuels on the Hill (blame speculators?)
6 myths about oil speculators
Henry Liu: Flat-earther Thomas Friedman blind to oil facts

German voters furious over surging energy prices (natural gas to rise 40%)
Joseph Stiglitz: Scarcity in an age of plenty
Oil: the anti-dollar