The Twelve Steps:
1. Stop deluding ourselves. The era of cheap, readily-available oil
has ended. Prices may fluctuate, but the underlying trend is up, up,
up. We have to get used to using less.
2. Demand that politicians take the issue seriously. Make it an
election issue. Don’t take ‘we’ve got everything under control’ as an
answer.
3. Stop building new roads. They’re a monumental waste of money,
time and effort. They encourage, rather than ease, congestion, and
besides, the growth in car travel that’s used to justify them isn’t
going to happen anyway.
4. Divert that money and effort into measures that address the challenges of oil depletion and climate change.
5. Make a major investment in public transport. It needs to be
better, faster, more comfortable, more regular, and more predictable.
It needs to cater for everyone, not just peak-hour commuters — though
they need a better service as well.
6. Make a major investment in broadband internet to allow more
people to work from home, and change tax and business practices that
discourage working from home. The more car trips we can avoid, the
better.
7. Electrify transport where possible. New Zealand is well placed to
use renewable electricity for transport. We should be electrifying
commuter rail where it is not already electric, using light rail
(trams) in cities, and looking at electrification of the main trunk
line. On the other end of the scale, electric bikes and scooters can
make a big difference in our cities. And electric cars show promise,
though there’s a lot of questions to be answered yet.
8. Don’t use cars unless there’s no alternative. Take the bus. Take
the train. Switch to a scooter. Walk or cycle – both your wallet and
your doctor will thank you.
9. Deal with other aspects of our oil dependence. Agriculture, for
example, is highly dependent on oil. We’re going to need to change the
way we grow and distribute food. Let’s get to work on that now, not
wait until supermarket shelves start to empty.
10. Stockpile or manufacture vital products currently imported from
overseas. When oil runs short, will that still be possible? Let’s take
stock now and work out what we may need to start stockpiling or making
in New Zealand.
11. Think local. Ending our oil addiction isn’t just up to central
government, though it can play its part. Communities can work together
to make themselves more resilient. Join or start a Transition Towns
group in your local area.
12. Accept reality. The age of cheap oil is over. It’s not coming back. As individuals and as a nation, we have to adapt.
