Richard Heinberg on current gas prices

Oil and energy expert Richard Heinberg speaks with the head of the Post Carbon Institute, Julian Darley, about the current state of our historically high gas prices and projects that "The Party's Over" (also the title of his book on the heyday of cheap energy which is at an end) on future cheap gas in the USA. They've been paying through the nose in Europe for awhile... so get ready, America.

Category:

Autos & Vehicles

Tags:

• gas
• peak
• oil
• Richard
• Heinberg
• prices
• automobiles
• cars
• trucks
• global
• warming
• energy
• suburbia
• Julian
• Darley

[afropaladin]

Im not worried. When America's oil runs out we can simply invade another middle eastern country for their oil. They need to do it right this time though and use a the nuke.

[jamesrobert2]

I'm american, and I don't know anyone with a profligate, energy guzzling lifestyle. Cities were not designed with utmost energy conservation in mind. That's true. Plus, we have 300 million people. I guess immigration should have stopped in 1800.

[leviathon2]

Gotta feel sorry for the Americans. They've got such a brutal readjustment to make to their profligate, energy guzzling lifestyles. It's gonna hurt.

[Mechman064]

Not every American is unaware of the problem though. I saw it coming 3 years ago. I got out of fixing 18 wheelers and started fixing public transit buses for a living. I paid off all my debit except the 43k I owe on my condo. I can bike to work easily with my electrically assisted bike and I'm going to plant an awesome veg garden on my back porch with Earth boxes this spring. I ordered them the other day. I'm as ready as I can be I think.

[rvbarnesboy]

the man speaks the truth. but there really DOES need to be some sort of governmental help. that's the role...

too much corruption and incompetence

[lextalionis2001]

While I agree with the general premise of this video I do not agree with the statement that "gas rationing worked well for america during WW2".

Do a wiki search for "Harold L Ickes" who was americas oil czar during the war. When he tried to institute rationing there was immediate trouble. Only when the government rationed rubber were they able to "sneak" oil in as well.

thanks for posting the video

[udrlerbcbuj]

you're right; they won't change their habits on their own. but, when the market price for oil rises enough, people will be forced to stop being so ridiculous with their oil consumption and they'll begin consuming it more efficiently. like richard says, the higher the price goes, the better, because it will precipitate the structural change necessary.

[johntveev]

I am cynical about people in the USA being able, let alone willing, to change their habits or feeling of entitlement to cheap oil products. Ugly is only a polite way of referring to anarchy that will come when the fan gets hit by a truck load of ca ca... The real estate market is only now starting to feel the pinch as people look to move from suburbia

[jeroenrally]

Richard Heinberg has a very realistic view on the future. Peak oil is close and from there things start to get uggly. Aren's we all addicted to oil?