New hippies are fighting to replace oil

The generation of activists who fought for civil rights, against an unpopular war, and started the environmental movement is poised for one last hurrah, one more attempt to cure the ills of American society.

They’re older now, and perhaps a little wiser. They’re settled into their communities, some of them already retired. And they’re scared as hell about the lives facing their children and grandchildren once the oil runs out.

The ponytails are gray now, and PowerPoint presentations and DVDs are taking the place of leaflets, but the basic goals and ideals are the same: a reconnection to the earth, a small-is-beautiful approach, and a belief that you can change society through grassroots action.

This time around it’s less about fighting the Establishment than establishing an alternative, an alternative to an oil-based economy many feel is on the verge of collapse. Oil industry experts say gasoline prices will continue to soar as producers have to drill deeper for dwindling reserves in the face of surging worldwide demand. This could mean, in the very near future, the gradual unraveling of our nationwide system of distribution, the collapse of the big box retail sector and all the jobs that depend on it. Not to mention the demise of a suburban lifestyle dependent on cars and oil.

San Francisco Chronicle