Working on empty: Planning for oil’s end

No more fuel – After a Portland group persuades the city to create a task force, scenarios of crises emerge

The prophets of gloom meet every Wednesday in a church basement to plan for the end of oil as we know it.

Seated in folding chairs under fluorescent lights, the members of Portland Peak Oil share tips about switching to propane, planting vegetable gardens and harvesting fruit and nuts from local trees in case the food supply goes south along with affordable gasoline.

Thanks to their lobbying, the city of Portland is planning, too. In fact, Portland is one of only a handful of cities confronting head-on the predictions of a looming oil shortage and ballooning gas prices.

A task force that city commissioners created in May at the urging of Portland Peak Oil is nearly finished with a report aimed at helping Portland ease its addiction to oil.

The Oregonian