Progressiviews: Blog from Aaron Lehmer

May 2009

by Aaron Lehmer, Network Development Director

Economic growth means progress, general well-being, and all things good, right? We all know that.

In the midst of what some are calling the worst economic downturn since the Great Depression, it's almost unthinkable to suggest that growth should not be our goal — especially when so many people are suffering from lost jobs, foreclosures, and soaring health care costs. And yet, we must rethink this basic assumption, at least if we intend to maintain a livable planet for future generations.

Given the circumstances, it's entirely understandable that President Obama, Congress, the private sector, and advocates across the political spectrum are working hard to "stimulate" the economy, to get the consumer growth-fest back on track (though perhaps at least powered by green energy).

But what if the growth-based economy never comes back? What if we're actually bumping up against the limits that our finite earth has been screaming at us to pay attention to, but which we've assumed we would never reach? We're above nature, after all, not subject to its laws. Or are we?

In recent decades we've become an increasingly globalized society, and along the way, we've sacrificed environmental health and community well-being for the sake of convenience and efficiency. Despite mounting awareness of the dangers, our use of fossil fuels continues to rise — and as a consequence, our global climate is becoming increasingly unstable and potentially lethal. What's more, we are now dangerously dependent on far-flung regions to supply us with fossil fuels to manufacture our goods, grow our food, maintain our high-tech health system, and power our vehicles and buildings.

A growing chorus of reputable energy analysts and geologists are now warning that our demand for oil — our Achilles' Heel of fossil fuels — will soon outstrip supply (if it hasn't already). This is because we've been finding less and less oil each year, while finding more and more ways to burn it. Sooner or later, as author Richard Heinberg notes, the party will be over. Historically, growth in Gross Domestic Product has mirrored the rise in oil use. As oil declines, we can expect the economy to contract as well.

Unfortunately, almost no one in high office is talking about adapting to a contracting economy — much less to one that's more locally self-reliant and less dependent on distant imports to supply our basic needs. But that's the kind of shift we must begin to accept, prepare for, and shape to our own regional conditions if we ever hope to thrive within the post-petroleum economy that's coming.

To help prepare our region for the coming end of cheap oil — and the progressive decline in global imports that will follow — Bay Localize is advancing flexible tools and models that area groups and municipal governments can implement in their own locales to bring the production of food, energy, and essential goods and services closer to home.

By advocating for policies and projects that build a regionally-focused economy, we believe we can help increase the livability of all Bay Area counties. And by shifting our energy use to renewables — thereby slashing fossil fuel burning for electricity and transportation — we believe we can improve the quality of life for low-income communities and people of color who suffer disproportionately from exposure to pollutants from nearby gas-fired power plants, petroleum refineries, and congested freeways.

Make no mistake about it — we Bay Areans will need to completely transform the way we live, work, travel, and play. It will be difficult, and at times positively wrenching. The good news is that moving away from fossil fuel dependency will create millions of new opportunities to rebuild our energy grid, food system, transportation network, and regional infrastructure. If we do this in ways that empower all Bay Area communities, we can dramatically improve the quality of life for everyone, and serve as a beacon of hope for other regions seeking to cultivate their own assets. Let’s get to it!