rocket science

I think the discussion of peak oil has moved from its former existence as an arguable question (though there are still skeptics) through a period of anxious anticipation (are we there yet? are we there yet?) and has arrived for many of us as a realization that requires action. A growing mass has come to accept that the end of the oil age is upon us. This group is moving away from noisy discussions about if or when. Possibly out of fear, perhaps out of practicality, or maybe because this group is forward thinking, they are beginning to engage in serious discussions about how to deal with reality. All of this is a way to introduce what I think is an interesting idea.

PeakEngineer is a rocket scientist or more accurately a NASA engineer. He has established a new discussion called PeakOilDesign. It’s described as a,

“forum for discussing solutions for an organized planning and transition to post-Peak Oil life. This is a first stop for community organizers and those looking to become part of a community as oil-based life becomes increasingly difficult.”

He’s employing a systems engineering approach to plan for post petroleum life. I do recognize math as a language but using it to describe events or map plans of preparation can become static for me. I shy away from engineering and towards more organic types of training. In truth, even the organic world of plants and animals is made up of measurable data. And I could stand to pay more attention to the numbers if only as a way to track progress and facilitate efficiency so I’ll try and keep up. Design is after all the marriage of science and art in an effort to create. So take a look, offer your thoughts or at least check back from time to time and see what comes of it. The more ideas the better.