The impacts of increasing oil and natural gas costs are felt first and deepest among vulnerable and marginalized populations. Rising oil and natural gas prices increase the cost of transportation, housing, food, and other goods and services. The sharp rise in gasoline prices in 2005 provided direct evidence of the effects of increasing fuel costs as people shifted their budgets from food to fuel. As a consequence of this, demands on food banks increased dramatically. In addition, the disabled, elderly, and people with the least economic resources are more likely to depend on public transportation. Increasing fuel costs and decreased social program funding may price even public transportation out of reach, or decrease special public transportation options. This can dramatically impact mobility and may lead to loss of jobs for some and further isolation for others.

Vulnerable and marginalized populations are already among the most at-risk members of society. They are least likely to have information or understanding about peak oil or to see it as a pressing issue. This population has the fewest resources to meet increased costs stemming from peak oil. Their housing and vehicles are often the least efficient, and they have little control over housing improvements or access to programs that would help.

In addition, these populations are the least likely to have the resources needed to protect their rights. Many are already vulnerable to being displaced by growth and development. Lack of integration or isolation of people and populations within Portland places them on the outside of both communication and information networks, as well as having fewer resources to adapt to changing circumstances. These are groups who are also frequently not represented in policy and planning discussions.

The economic impacts of peak oil will spread beyond those who are on fixed or marginal incomes. People who are currently better off will have less disposable income to spend on things other than energy and goods and services affected directly by peak oil. This is critically important, because public and social services are already highly dependent on private organizations to meet the demand for community programs such as food banks, cultural integration, services for the homeless and outreach to elders. Traditional citizen and business contributions to these private organizations will likely decline, as will foundation resources.

It is essential to recognize that marginalized communities have strengths, knowledge and skills that can benefit the broader community. The elderly have the experience of surviving in a much less energy dependent world, along with critical human skills that automation and mass production have replaced. Different cultural communities have social, health and other knowledge which has largely been lost in mainstream society. Poor people have skills for getting by with less and creatively stretching resources that the more advantaged population may lack. Most of all, different communities offer different perspectives and broaden the range of strategies and solutions brought to the table.