A Conversation With Thom Hartmann on Peak Oil  

I noticed a link on the new, improved FTD today to the Democratic Underground Peak Oil Group. - yet another peak oil forum.

One poster discusses a conversation with Thom Hartmann on his radio show - apparently (like Chomsky) he prefers the peak to arrive sooner rather than later.

I called into Thom Hartmann's radio show, author of The Last Hours of Ancient Sunlight (and a definite must read if you are reading this post) show about 6 months ago to express my concerns about Peak Oil and to ask for his thoughts. Here's what he says (from memory):

- The last oil worth extracting will be gone around 2020. (I am assuming he means based upon current rates of extraction and technological advances. Obviously, this is way down the other end of the peak.)

- It really doesn't matter whether the Peak Oil crisis hits, though the sooner it arrives, the better. Right NOW would even be a good time.

- The Technology already exists to "replace" oil in many of its' current uses, and the onset of crisis will force its' rapid development and proliferation.

Obviously, Hartmann realizes that nothing can truly replace oil as the quintessential cheap source of energy -- he wrote the book about it, after all. At the same time, we aren't all about to head kicking and screaming back to the Stone Age, as some suggest. What he seems to be suggesting is to look at this upcoming period as a major "wake-up call" and a critical opportunity to get back in touch with the things that matter most -- namely the Earth, since we are a part of it, and re-establishing a sustainable system of living for ourselves and all future generations. That's one solution that we've always had.