The Peak Oil Crisis: Rationing

[Strelnikov_]

Why do I think that the rationing system implemented in the U.S. will be market based 'last man standing' versus the equitable plan described in the following article.

The Peak Oil Crisis: Rationing
By Tom Whipple

http://www.fcnp.com/519/peakoil.htm

. . .

America ’s most recent experience with rationing goes back to World War II. You have to be nearly 70 to remember the little square “A”, “B”, and “C” stickers affixed to the windshields of ever car. These stickers, when accompanied by a sheet of rationing stamps, allowed one to buy gas. Everybody got an “A” sticker (a whole 4 gallons a month just for the asking). To get a “B” or “C” sticker, one had to appear before a rationing board and make the case their mobility was vital to the war effort or at least the well-being of their fellow citizens.

. . .

A couple of weeks ago, the British press reported that Her Majesty’s cabinet is considering a plan to ration energy consumption. The immediate reason for implementing such a system is to reduce the UK ’s emission of greenhouse gases as required by the Kyoto Treaty. The plans authors, however, claim that if the proposal works, it will deal equally well with equitably allocating dwindling energy supplies caused by peak oil.

. . .

The major feature of the allocation system is that it covers all fossil fuels, not just gasoline; and it makes a real effort to be fair to all, by giving consideration to the needs of the poorer folks.

Under the plan, every adult in the country would be given (for free) an annual “Personal Carbon Allowance” (PCA). This allowance would be measured in “carbon units.” One carbon unit would be equal to one kilogram of carbon dioxide emitted into the atmosphere when the fuel is burned. Carbon units can be equated easily to gallons of gasoline, heating oil, diesel, or jet fuel, or to pounds of coal, BTUs of natural gas, or KWh of electricity. For example, one gallon of gas would be the equivalent of about nine carbon units. Thus, for every gallon of gas purchased, nine carbon units would be subtracted from your account.

[pstans]

1. The answer isn't rationing

it is conservation and sustainability.

Until our government starts telling people the importance of conservation, we won't get anywhere. Conservation can only go so far if we are still using unsustainable petroleum products. We need to push renewable energy sources like solar, wind, biomass, and geothermal. Not one of these will solve the energy crisis, but when put together we might be able to come close.

[kestrel91316]

2. Unfortunately .................

the rich for the most part can't be bothered to conserve, since they have plenty of money to spend wasting energy til the cows come home. And the rich for the most part don't believe in "sustainability" and think it's just another communist plan to let the NWO take over and put us all in FEMA camps. Or whatever their hallucination of the week is.

[Strelnikov_]

3. No, Rationing Is Not The Answer, In A Perfect World

One look at who is holding the Presidency tells you at how far from perfect we have come.

But what are you going to do when demand is chronically outstripping supply by 10% or greater over the next few years due to depletion, or a sudden loss of 10% or more from a natural disaster (like an intense hurricane season). Give out tax credits for hybrid vehicles? Promote carpooling?

Whether you like it or not, rationing, either through extensive demand destruction due to high prices, or a more equitable solution described in the article, will be a reality in the very near future.

[bloom]

4. I was thinking of something along these lines

If there were rationing of home heating/cooling/electrical, etc. units - people who were well off could use their money to build a more efficient house. As it is now - of course people can build vastly inefficient 50,000 square feet homes without a care in the world. They are the CEOs of insurance companies or whatever.

They have no incentive to be reasonable.

I think rationing is the only answer.

They could take however many units it would require to function in a typical house trailer and people with far larger homes that were efficient should have plenty of power.

Of course house trailers should be far more efficient also.

And it would make sense to be based on heating degree days or whatever.