Why the Scarlet Alert?

I am married to a peak-oiler.

As a result, I am exposed on a daily basis to a range of facts, figures, predictions, concerns that some days I simply have to block out-- I can't take it any more! And other days, this information moves me to action.

One of the things that moved me to action was Richard Heinberg's article about the threats of peak oil to our global food supply. I found this particularly disturbing and felt moved to inform my parents, siblings, and nieces and nephews (the latter group ranging in age from 18 to 36, two of them already raising children).

I summarized Heinberg's article, making clear (I thought) why this issue was important to my family members and what they should be paying attention to. (Lesson #1: never use "should" with any family member-- perhaps with anyone!)

While only two of my 25 relatives responded, the response of my 30-year-old niece -- a highly intelligent, educated mother-- flattened me cold, and I realized I had to return to the drawing table in order to figure out how to engage my friends and family members more effectively about the issue of peak oil and its ramifications. Basically, she told me that my rantings reminded her of Gone With the Wind's Scarlett O'Hara digging bare-handed through Tara's soil for potatoes that she tried to eat raw in her hunger, only to vomit immediately: "I'll never be hungry again!"

Thank God I've got some humility and humor (and love) in my life; instead of being offended or defensive, I decided to embrace the Scarlett role and that I would preface any future peak oil-related communications with "Scarlet Alert" (extra "t" intentionally dropped).

Having recently attended a powerful conference on the subject of peak oil, I knew it was time for such an alert, and having recently entered the blogosphere, I figured, well, let's make it a blog.

So here I am... yours truly,