Hamilton: Peak oil means expensive food
Hamilton Spectator / Richard Reble / 08 July 2010
With the reality of peak oil -- the idea that world oil supply will soon go into decline -- now accepted by many investigative writers, oil geologists and engineers, energy analysis companies, and even oil producers, politicians, economists and governments, it would be foolhardy for Hamilton politicians, planners and developers to ignore it.
In contrast with the former rosy outlook of politicians and economists, a recent survey of 21 predictions (from national governments, oil producers, energy analyst firms and retired oil geologists and oil engineers) shows global decline beginning anytime up to 2020. Of these 21 predictions, the mean statistical date is 2013, just three years from now.
Global production of cheap oil (the easy-to-get conventional oil) peaked in 2005 and has flatlined ever since. Irreversible decline is imminent.
There will still be oil, but it won't be cheap as producers are increasingly resorting to expensive oil (the hard-to-get unconventional stuff).
[...] Because most of our food comes to us from distant places by plane and truck, we are highly vulnerable. Grocery store shelves can empty in as few as two or three days without uninterrupted air and ground transport.
This is why I believe our mayor and council should be preserving each and every acre of Hamilton's greenfields, even those currently dedicated to some other purpose, but as of yet undeveloped, for the growing of food crops during the inevitable years of energy decline.
Yes, that includes Aerotropolis. After all, that property has already been designated as prime agricultural land, not business and light industrial lands. If employment and economic growth matter, the employment grounds can be relocated to greenfields of a lesser designation and accomplish the same purpose.
If it's the nearness of air transport that matters, there will probably be as many flights taking off from the lesser lands as the present airport.
Food matters first.
