THE END OF SUBURBIA: Oil Depletion and the Collapse of The American Dream

So this Christmas, I tossed out the traditional notion of consuming till you can't possibly consume anymore and bought fewer and more non-traditional items for my friends and family members. For my college friends, I decided to give the gift that keeps on giving, Heinberg's The Party's Over (see previous post) and the "End of Suburbia" dvd directed by Gregory Greene and produced by Barry Silverthorn.

It's hosted by Barrie Zwicker and features the following people: James Howard Kunstler, Peter Calthorpe, Michael Klare, Richard Heinberg, Matthew Simmons, Michael C. Ruppert, Julian Darley, Colin Campbell, Kenneth Deffeyes, Ali Samsam Bakhtiari and Steve Andrews.

Here's a summary of the documentary:

Since World War II North Americans have invested much of their newfound wealth in suburbia. It has promised a sense of space, affordability, family life and upward mobility. As the population of suburban sprawl has exploded in the past 50 years, so too has the suburban way of life become embedded in the American consciousness. Suburbia, and all it promises, has become the American Dream.

But as we enter the 21st century, serious questions are beginning to emerge about the sustainability of this way of life. With brutal honesty and a touch of irony, The End of Suburbia explores the American Way of Life and its prospects as the planet approaches a critical era, as global demand for fossil fuels begins to outstrip supply. World Oil Peak and the inevitable decline of fossil fuels are upon us now, some scientists and policy makers argue in this documentary.

The consequences of inaction in the face of this global crisis are enormous. What does Oil Peak mean for North America? As energy prices skyrocket in the coming years, how will the populations of suburbia react to the collapse of their dream? Are today's suburbs destined to become the slums of tomorrow? And what can be done NOW, individually and collectively, to avoid The End of Suburbia ?

I found about of this DVD on some random website and attended a screening in San Francisco hosted by the Green Party, which included a discussion afterwards. About 45 people showed up to the screening at the Bazaar Cafe which I thought was very exciting. You can purchase the dvd on the End of Suburbia website via PayPal or you can rent it at Netflix. If, after seeing it, you want to host your own screening, you're welcome to do so without permission as long as the event is non-profit. A modest admission charge to offset costs is permitted.

Upcoming Screenings:

January 7, 2006 - Crawfordsville, IN
January 31, 2006 - Toronto. ON at the Bloor Cinema. Presented by the Toronto Public Space Committee
March 6, 2006 - Brantford, ON

Past Screenings:

November 16 - Walnut Creek, CA Guest speaker: Jerry McNerney.
November 16 - Santa Rosa, CA
November 17 - Burnaby, BC at 4:30PM, AQ 3159 on the Simon Fraser University, Burnaby Mountain Campus. A discussion will follow the screening.
November 20 - Winnipeg, MB at 2:00PM at the Sir William Stephenson Library, 765 Keewatin Street. Former Governor General of Canada and Premiere of Manitoba Ed Schreyer will be a guest speaker at the screening
November 21 - Pleasantville, NY at 12:20PM in Butcher Suite in the Kessel Building at Pace University
November 22 - Belleville, ON at 6:30PM at Loyalist College. Email for more information.
November 22 - Pasadena, CA at 6:30PM at the Donald R. Wright Auditorium at the Pasadena Central Library. 285 East Walnut St.
November 24 - Australia
November 29 - Toronto, ON at 7:00PM at Hart House-Debates Room, 7 Hart House Circle, University of Toronto.
November 30 - St. Louis, MO at the University City Public Library.
December 6 - Gambier, OH
December 9 - Seattle, WA
December 15 - Brisbane, Australia