Speaker: Charlie Stephens, formerly of Oregon Department of Energy

Most of the people in our community are now aware that climate change is a serious issue – its almost daily presence in the mainstream media has begun to focus their minds on the need for solutions.

The leveling and relatively imminent decline in the world’s fossil fuel production lags somewhat behind in this process of societal awakening. For some, Portland Peak Oil being among the first, the threat is a given now. It’s past time to move on to solutions. The City’s Peak Oil Task Force, instigated by Portland Peak Oil, did some fine work in highlighting the issues we’ll all face as energy supplies become tighter and much more expensive. Their report contained a number of useful recommendations and preparatory work for the City’s consideration.

So how is the City doing in following up on those recommendations? Is our fossil fuel situation any more clear than it was when the Task Force did its work? Do we need to re-think any of this work? Are there other related threats to our community’s well-being that weren’t considered? As we face peak fossil fuels, climate change and a major financial meltdown, which one will get us first, and what does that mean for the others? What do we do?

Charlie Stephens will update Portland Peak Oil on the latest fossil fuel situation, its relationship to the country’s serious petrodollar problem, the response of the country’s decision-makers, and what we need to do locally to transition to a truly sustainable society. New to the peak oil issue? Come to Peak Oil 101 fifteen minutes before the big show.