February 13, 2000

City Council

City of Berkeley

2180 Milvia Street

Berkeley, California 94704

Re: Committee to Plan for the End of the Oil

Gentlepersons:

We all know that our oil supply is finite. The best estimates are that we will exhaust US supplies around 2020 and world supplies around 2030-2040. That means that by 2010, we should be able to get a good panic going, so that people begin to take this seriously. :)

When that happens, we will have other sources of energy, but none (except coal & nuclear, which we shouldn't use, for obvious reasons) of anywhere near the abundance of oil. Natural gas should be saved for home heating, due to its cleanness. The roads will be mostly empty.

What do we want to do with the last portion? Do we want to continue burning it up, or make something useful, such as toothbrushes?

Berkeley, as well as every other institution of society, needs to immediately create a committee to plan for the end of the oil. 2010 is not too far from now.

Sincerely,

Michael J. Vandeman, Ph.D.

http://home.pacbell.net/mjvande

http://www.imaja.com/change/environment/mvarticles