Preparing for a post-carbon future:

a series of Living Earth events

Technological fixes and alternative energy sources at their very best will not come close to meeting the world's—and particularly American society's—voracious appetite for fuel in the post-carbon, post-industrial era we will soon enter. New models of social relationships and of sustainable community will be the lifeboats needed to help our culture through the coming century.

Beginning with our First Friday in September and extending over the next few months, Living Earth will present a series of programs not only exploring peak oil and the consequences of our rapidly declining sources of cheap energy, but also strategies for easing its impact through a time that promises to present us with dramatic challenges and fundamental change.

Permaculture and post-carbon social ecology

New models of food production, social relationships, work, play, and community will be the key to making a successful transition beyond the point of peak oil and natural gas production.

Examples and experiments in intentional community and permaculture land systems offer powerful models that may be integral to developing a sustainable, low impact way of living in the century ahead. On September 2, our friends Brush and Brenna from TryOn Life Community Farm, share information on their work related to permaculture and social ecology as we move toward a post-carbon world.

Book Discussion Group: Powerdown

Beginning September 20 and continuing for four Tuesdays, Living Earth will host a book discussion group featuring Richard Heinberg's 2004 publication, Powerdown: Options and Actions for a Post-Carbon World. Powerdown, according to David Room of Post-Carbon Institute, is ..."in the must read category for the 'walking worried' — that is, anyone concerned about what is happening and wondering what can be done to avert worst case scenarios."

Evening presentation and day-long workshop with Richard Heinberg

On January 20 Living Earth will host Richard Heinberg in Portland for an evening presentation followed by a day long workshop on creating a post-carbon culture on January 21. Richard Heinberg is a core faculty member of New College of California, where he teaches courses on Energy and Society, and Culture, Ecology and Sustainable Community. He has written five books, including The Party's Over: Energy Resources and the Fate of Industrial Societies; and Powerdown: Options and Actions for a post-carbon world. Check this website after Sept. 30 for details.