Preparing for energy descent… A genuine, traditional village

NEW ZEALAND – The world is changing rapidly and as a civilization we are ill prepared for what is coming. The decline of the fossil fuel era will trigger profound changes to the way complex societies function. Employment, industry, economic activities, government functions will all change as oil, gas and coal go into terminal decline. While it is impossible to predict how quickly and how dramatically the decline will be, there is no question that the near future means less energy available to perform the many functions which complex societies now take for granted.


Climate change will impose yet a further challenge to maintaining our current levels of societal complexities. It is no longer an issue as to whether climate change is occurring, but rather how severe and how widespread it will be.



In addition, global consumption patterns are creating shortages of many essential resources; and increasing species extinctions will have many unanticipated effects.


For those who are aware of these challenges the big question becomes,