After the Gas Runs Out: After the Gas Runs Out:

Civic Democracy and Civic Democracy and Prospects for Life and Prospects for Life and Living Inside the Blue Living Inside the Blue

LineLineBill Vitek, Ph.D.Bill Vitek, Ph.D.

Clarkson UniversityClarkson University

November 11, 2005November 11, 2005

The Association for the Protection of the Adirondacks

Arthur M. Crocker Seminar Series

They used to tell me I was building a dreamThey used to tell me I was building a dreamAnd so I followed the mob.And so I followed the mob.

When there was earth to plow or guns to When there was earth to plow or guns to bear,bear,

I was always there, right on the job.I was always there, right on the job.They used to tell me I was building a They used to tell me I was building a

dreamdreamWith peace and glory ahead --With peace and glory ahead --

Why should I be standing in line, just Why should I be standing in line, just waiting for bread?waiting for bread?

Once I built a railroad, I made it run,Once I built a railroad, I made it run,Made it race against time.Made it race against time.

Once I built a railroad, now it's done --Once I built a railroad, now it's done --Brother, can you spare a dime?Brother, can you spare a dime?

Once I built a tower, up to the sun,Once I built a tower, up to the sun,brick and rivet and lime.brick and rivet and lime.

Once I built a tower, now it's done --Once I built a tower, now it's done --Brother, can you spare a dime?Brother, can you spare a dime?

From “Brother Can You Spare a Dime?”(E. Y. HARBURG/JAY GORNEY) (1932)

What Unites and Divides Us:

This Adirondack Park

With Boundaries both Real and Imagined

The Blue Line Boundary: A Post-Carbon Thought Experiment

The GistThe Gist Things can’t be good if you call in Things can’t be good if you call in

a philosopher!a philosopher! The “Oikos” is teetering:The “Oikos” is teetering:

SpeciesSpecies ClimateClimate PollutantsPollutants EnergyEnergy Human PopulationHuman Population

Clogged Sinks and Limited SourcesClogged Sinks and Limited Sources

http://www.oilcrisis.com/midpoint.htm

The GistThe Gist The Delivery Systems aren’t The Delivery Systems aren’t

Delivering:Delivering: EconomicEconomic EnergyEnergy EducationEducation HealthHealth PoliticalPolitical SocialSocial

The Systems can’t deliver what’s The Systems can’t deliver what’s not therenot there

The GistThe Gist We are nearly at the end of a line of We are nearly at the end of a line of

thinking that is no longer supportable thinking that is no longer supportable by the material and energy by the material and energy conditions upon which it restsconditions upon which it rests

Western Liberalism/Liberty depends Western Liberalism/Liberty depends on on Geological InheritanceGeological Inheritance

We’ve burned through our We’ve burned through our inheritance in record timeinheritance in record time

The ChallengeThe Challenge

The Race for Resources has already The Race for Resources has already begunbegun

Barricading has already begunBarricading has already begun The reconceptualization of all the The reconceptualization of all the

systems has already begunsystems has already begun

What can this region become in the What can this region become in the midst of, and beyond, this midst of, and beyond, this transition?transition?

The ChallengeThe Challenge We’ll need a new line of thinking We’ll need a new line of thinking

that preserves liberty without the that preserves liberty without the high-testhigh-test

It’s Long-term thinkingIt’s Long-term thinking Fifty years outFifty years out Applications to the ParkApplications to the Park

Philosophers welcome!Philosophers welcome! Or anybody willing to think about Or anybody willing to think about

system alternativessystem alternatives

Do’s and Don'tsDo’s and Don'ts

StopStop thinking like environmentalists thinking like environmentalists StopStop focusing exclusively on short- focusing exclusively on short-

term problemsterm problems StopStop talking to ourselves talking to ourselves Start Start preparing for the oil endgamepreparing for the oil endgame StartStart preparing a values shift preparing a values shift StartStart thinking like pioneers and thinking like pioneers and

foundersfounders

Time to Think Like Time to Think Like Engineers!Engineers!

Define the ProblemDefine the Problem

““Expand civic democracy in the Park Expand civic democracy in the Park during the global peak-oil during the global peak-oil transition.”transition.” Civic Democracy: Citizens not Civic Democracy: Citizens not

IndividualsIndividuals Public and Private goodsPublic and Private goods ExpansionExpansion in the midst of current in the midst of current

contraction and looming disruptionscontraction and looming disruptions Humans Humans andand Nature Nature

Define the ProblemDefine the Problem

Put the Put the Adirondack BiosphereAdirondack Biosphere to work to work in a in a Contemporary Solar EconomyContemporary Solar Economy

Create a Create a Civic HavenCivic Haven focused on local focused on local and and Regional Political AutonomyRegional Political Autonomy

Promote the Park’s Promote the Park’s Aesthetic Aesthetic DimensionDimension as a as a training ground for training ground for CitizenshipCitizenship

Time to Think Like Time to Think Like Engineers!Engineers!

Product RequirementsProduct Requirements Optimistic and MotivatingOptimistic and Motivating Self-MaintainingSelf-Maintaining Simple and ElegantSimple and Elegant Incorporate 19Incorporate 19thth Century discoveries Century discoveries

Ignorance-Based/Fail Safe (Evolutionary Ignorance-Based/Fail Safe (Evolutionary Biology: apes in lab coats)Biology: apes in lab coats)

Run on Contemporary Sunlight (2Run on Contemporary Sunlight (2ndnd Law) Law) Minimal Human Populations (Ecosystem Minimal Human Populations (Ecosystem

Complexity)Complexity)

Product RequirementsProduct Requirements Optimal Resource Consumption Optimal Resource Consumption

(Efficiency)(Efficiency) Use more of what we have more of, Use more of what we have more of,

less of what we have less of (people, less of what we have less of (people, not petroleum) not petroleum) http://http://www.worsleyschool.net/socialarts/world/population.htmlwww.worsleyschool.net/socialarts/world/population.html

Democracy enhancingDemocracy enhancing Social Capital enhancingSocial Capital enhancing Ecosystem enhancingEcosystem enhancing Paradox welcoming: turn vices into Paradox welcoming: turn vices into

virtues (Hamilton)virtues (Hamilton)

The Product The Product

On-the-shelf solutions, On-the-shelf solutions, alternatives, systems, alternatives, systems, projects, and policies that projects, and policies that demonstrably expand civic demonstrably expand civic democracy in the Park democracy in the Park during the global peak-oil during the global peak-oil transition. transition.

Time to Think Like Time to Think Like Engineers!Engineers!

Generate AlternativesGenerate Alternatives Modern Ward RepublicsModern Ward Republics Local CurrenciesLocal Currencies Putting the Park’s ecosystems to work Putting the Park’s ecosystems to work

without diminishing themwithout diminishing them Wes Jackson’s work in agricultureWes Jackson’s work in agriculture COCO22 Sinks Sinks Non-Propertied Tourism (Costa Rica)Non-Propertied Tourism (Costa Rica)

Attracting the right kind of Attracting the right kind of developmentdevelopment The ArtsThe Arts A New Homestead ActA New Homestead Act

Generate AlternativesGenerate Alternatives Attracting the right kind of peopleAttracting the right kind of people

Adirondack PrizeAdirondack Prize R&R, Adirondack Style: R&R, Adirondack Style: Reflection and Reflection and

ResearchResearch

Developing educational models that Developing educational models that prepare students for the century they’re prepare students for the century they’re in, not the one we just leftin, not the one we just left Getting our educational institutions involvedGetting our educational institutions involved

Regional and Regional and RenewableRenewable energy, energy, transportation, economic systemstransportation, economic systems

Generate AlternativesGenerate Alternatives Asking well and often the right Asking well and often the right

sorts of questions to the right sorts of questions to the right sorts of people sorts of people SymposiaSymposia Traveling road showsTraveling road shows ContestsContests

““Brother,* Can You Brother,* Can You Paradigm?”Paradigm?”

Stay FocusedStay Focused Become philosophical/system-building Become philosophical/system-building

engineers/entrepreneurs engineers/entrepreneurs Create models, systems, concepts, and Create models, systems, concepts, and

paradigms that solve the peak-oil paradigms that solve the peak-oil challengechallenge

Imagine that someone will actually use Imagine that someone will actually use what we create!what we create!

Remember that creativity, commitment Remember that creativity, commitment and optimism are our most powerful and optimism are our most powerful toolstools

* And Sister!* And Sister!

A Most Necessary A Most Necessary RevolutionRevolution

A shared mental modelA shared mental model Life after carbon pools: puddle Life after carbon pools: puddle

jumpingjumping Liberty without consumptionLiberty without consumption Rebuilding citizenship/social capitalRebuilding citizenship/social capital Studying the exitsStudying the exits Formulating and embracing a land Formulating and embracing a land

ethicethic

The most important, meaningful, and The most important, meaningful, and longest lasting work that we can do for longest lasting work that we can do for

this place we call the Adirondack Park is tothis place we call the Adirondack Park is to

““Build receptivity into Build receptivity into

the still unlovely the still unlovely

human mind”*human mind”*

Beginning with our own…..Beginning with our own…..

*Aldo Leopold, *Aldo Leopold, A Sand County AlmanacA Sand County Almanac