Rob Hopkins: Transition to a world without oil

http://www.ted.com Rob Hopkins reminds us that the oil our world depends on is steadily running out. He proposes a unique solution to this problem -- the Transition response, where we prepare ourselves for life without oil and sacrifice our luxuries to build systems and communities that are completely independent of fossil fuels.

TEDTalks is a daily video podcast of the best talks and performances from the TED Conference, where the world's leading thinkers and doers give the talk of their lives in 18 minutes. Featured speakers have included Al Gore on climate change, Philippe Starck on design, Jill Bolte Taylor on observing her own stroke, Nicholas Negroponte on One Laptop per Child, Jane Goodall on chimpanzees, Bill Gates on malaria and mosquitoes, Pattie Maes on the "Sixth Sense" wearable tech, and "Lost" producer JJ Abrams on the allure of mystery. TED stands for Technology, Entertainment, Design, and TEDTalks cover these topics as well as science, business, development and the arts. Closed captions and translated subtitles in a variety of languages are now available on TED.com, at http://www.ted.com/translate. Watch a highlight reel of the Top 10 TEDTalks at http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/top10

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  Science & Technology

[PM3520]

No one WANTS to live in misery, but when you look at all the related issues -- really look carefully -- you can't help but see that humanity itself, our entire human "civilization" is in peril. Without massive inputs of cheap and plentiful energy, the life we currently enjoy can not continue. The Transition movement is about softening the fall -- and creating a wonderful life without so much oil. And, yes, it will mean more work, and more hardship. Sorry, the party's over.

[Holly Garrett]

I think the best part of this video is the Rolex advertisement at the end which describes the process of ceramic being heated to 1500 degrees and then bombarded with pure gold particles. LOL

[unclesamfatg]

I think Rob Hopkins is some insane hippy. The "energy crisis" was already solved more than 10 years ago. His analogies on fairy tales are just dumb. Why didn't he made an analogy on coal mining, huh? Or, before that, on wood burning? Coal mining resolved the "energy crisis" less than 150 years before oil refining was discovered. Oil was considered a liability for miners till 1850 just like garbage is considered today.

Search Google for 'thermal depolymerization'.

[grahamhg]

You are ignoring the scaleability of moden solar technologies. All rely on rare earth materials in their construction.

[hallnuts33]

Nuclear/renewables could theoretically provide maximum of two fifths of global energy supply? Everyday world uses ~16TW of energy. Everyday ~86,000TW of solar energy hits the earth. Solar price-performance is improving exponentially. That's just solar. Modern farming needs to be modified anyways, and I think food production can be maintained with certain caveats of course.

[paisleyyama]

Do you really think it took 250,000,000 years to get the supply of oil we have now? I don`t. Nor do I believe we are on the brink of returning to cavemen days UNLESS policy makers FORCE society into it, but that would only be because of force not necessity. Humans are incredibly smart & we have the ability to solve our own problems if policy makers don`t get in the way. From my grandparents time to my children`s time the advancements in knowledge & technology have been astounding. We`ll do ok

[grahamhg]

cont Technically oil does replenish itself, if we wait 250,000,000 years.

[grahamhg]

You haven't really looked into this have you? Peak gas will arrive by 2020, coal around 2025, and peak oil happened in 2006. Nuclear/renewables could theoretically provide a maximum of two fifths of the global energy supply. Also modern farming is completely reliant on oil/gas. Without them farming will return to its pre industrial state, ie food production will drop dramatically. May I suggest you google the term 'EROEI' and start from there.

[paisleyyama]

Oil is not our only option, but even if it were there`s still a large untapped supply and oil does replenish itself just like coal does. But since there are other options than just oil, we don`t have to take a doom & gloom approach and send ourselves back to the caveman days. We can use the brains & technology we have now and open better and more fuel efficient options while still moving forward and still keeping a comfortable life. We don`t have to give up comfort.