After the Gas Runs Out: Civic Democracy and Prospects for Life and Living Inside the Blue Line Bill Vitek, Ph.D. Clarkson University November 11, 2005 The Association for the Protection of the Adirondacks Arthur M. Crocker Seminar Series

They used to tell me I was building a dream And so I followed the mob. When there was earth to plow or guns to bear, I was always there, right on the job. They used to tell me I was building a dream With peace and glory ahead -- Why should I be standing in line, just waiting for bread? Once I built a railroad, I made it run, Made it race against time. Once I built a railroad, now it's done -- Brother, can you spare a dime? Once I built a tower, up to the sun, brick and rivet and lime. Once I built a tower, now it's done -- Brother, can you spare a dime? From “Brother Can You Spare a Dime?” (E. Y. HARBURG/JAY GORNEY) (1932)

What Unites and Divides Us: This Adirondack Park

With Boundaries both Real and Imagined The Blue Line Boundary: A Post-Carbon Thought Experiment

The Gist Things can’t be good if you call in a philosopher! Things can’t be good if you call in a philosopher! The “Oikos” is teetering: The “Oikos” is teetering: Species Species Climate Climate Pollutants Pollutants Energy Energy Human Population Human Population Clogged Sinks and Limited Sources Clogged Sinks and Limited Sources

The Gist The Delivery Systems aren’t Delivering: The Delivery Systems aren’t Delivering: Economic Economic Energy Energy Education Education Health Health Political Political Social Social The Systems can’t deliver what’s not there The Systems can’t deliver what’s not there

The Gist We are nearly at the end of a line of thinking that is no longer supportable by the material and energy conditions upon which it rests We are nearly at the end of a line of thinking that is no longer supportable by the material and energy conditions upon which it rests Western Liberalism/Liberty depends on Geological Inheritance Western Liberalism/Liberty depends on Geological Inheritance We’ve burned through our inheritance in record time We’ve burned through our inheritance in record time

The Challenge The Race for Resources has already begun The Race for Resources has already begun Barricading has already begun Barricading has already begun The reconceptualization of all the systems has already begun The reconceptualization of all the systems has already begun What can this region become in the midst of, and beyond, this transition? What can this region become in the midst of, and beyond, this transition?

The Challenge We’ll need a new line of thinking that preserves liberty without the high-test We’ll need a new line of thinking that preserves liberty without the high-test It’s Long-term thinking It’s Long-term thinking Fifty years out Fifty years out Applications to the Park Applications to the Park Philosophers welcome! Philosophers welcome! Or anybody willing to think about system alternatives Or anybody willing to think about system alternatives

Do’s and Don'ts Stop thinking like environmentalists Stop thinking like environmentalists Stop focusing exclusively on short-term problems Stop focusing exclusively on short-term problems Stop talking to ourselves Stop talking to ourselves Start preparing for the oil endgame Start preparing for the oil endgame Start preparing a values shift Start preparing a values shift Start thinking like pioneers and founders Start thinking like pioneers and founders

Time to Think Like Engineers!

Define the Problem “Expand civic democracy in the Park during the global peak-oil transition.” “Expand civic democracy in the Park during the global peak-oil transition.” Civic Democracy: Citizens not Individuals Civic Democracy: Citizens not Individuals Public and Private goods Public and Private goods Expansion in the midst of current contraction and looming disruptions Expansion in the midst of current contraction and looming disruptions Humans and Nature Humans and Nature

Define the Problem Put the Adirondack Biosphere to work in a Contemporary Solar Economy Put the Adirondack Biosphere to work in a Contemporary Solar Economy Create a Civic Haven focused on local and Regional Political Autonomy Create a Civic Haven focused on local and Regional Political Autonomy Promote the Park’s Aesthetic Dimension as a training ground for Citizenship Promote the Park’s Aesthetic Dimension as a training ground for Citizenship

Time to Think Like Engineers!

Product Requirements Optimistic and Motivating Optimistic and Motivating Self-Maintaining Self-Maintaining Simple and Elegant Simple and Elegant Incorporate 19 th Century discoveries Incorporate 19 th Century discoveries Ignorance-Based/Fail Safe (Evolutionary Biology: apes in lab coats) Ignorance-Based/Fail Safe (Evolutionary Biology: apes in lab coats) Run on Contemporary Sunlight (2 nd Law) Run on Contemporary Sunlight (2 nd Law) Minimal Human Populations (Ecosystem Complexity) Minimal Human Populations (Ecosystem Complexity)

Product Requirements Optimal Resource Consumption (Efficiency) Optimal Resource Consumption (Efficiency) Use more of what we have more of, less of what we have less of (people, not petroleum) Use more of what we have more of, less of what we have less of (people, not petroleum) Democracy enhancing Democracy enhancing Social Capital enhancing Social Capital enhancing Ecosystem enhancing Ecosystem enhancing Paradox welcoming: turn vices into virtues (Hamilton) Paradox welcoming: turn vices into virtues (Hamilton)

The Product On-the-shelf solutions, alternatives, systems, projects, and policies that demonstrably expand civic democracy in the Park during the global peak-oil transition. On-the-shelf solutions, alternatives, systems, projects, and policies that demonstrably expand civic democracy in the Park during the global peak-oil transition.

Time to Think Like Engineers!

Generate Alternatives Modern Ward Republics Modern Ward Republics Local Currencies Local Currencies Putting the Park’s ecosystems to work without diminishing them Putting the Park’s ecosystems to work without diminishing them Wes Jackson’s work in agriculture Wes Jackson’s work in agriculture CO 2 Sinks CO 2 Sinks Non-Propertied Tourism (Costa Rica) Non-Propertied Tourism (Costa Rica) Attracting the right kind of development Attracting the right kind of development The Arts The Arts A New Homestead Act A New Homestead Act

Generate Alternatives Attracting the right kind of people Attracting the right kind of people Adirondack Prize Adirondack Prize R&R, Adirondack Style: Reflection and Research R&R, Adirondack Style: Reflection and Research Developing educational models that prepare students for the century they’re in, not the one we just left Developing educational models that prepare students for the century they’re in, not the one we just left Getting our educational institutions involved Getting our educational institutions involved Regional and Renewable energy, transportation, economic systems Regional and Renewable energy, transportation, economic systems

Generate Alternatives Asking well and often the right sorts of questions to the right sorts of people Asking well and often the right sorts of questions to the right sorts of people Symposia Symposia Traveling road shows Traveling road shows Contests Contests

“Brother,* Can You Paradigm?” Stay Focused Stay Focused Become philosophical/system-building engineers/entrepreneurs Become philosophical/system-building engineers/entrepreneurs Create models, systems, concepts, and paradigms that solve the peak-oil challenge Create models, systems, concepts, and paradigms that solve the peak-oil challenge Imagine that someone will actually use what we create! Imagine that someone will actually use what we create! Remember that creativity, commitment and optimism are our most powerful tools Remember that creativity, commitment and optimism are our most powerful tools * And Sister!

A Most Necessary Revolution A shared mental model A shared mental model Life after carbon pools: puddle jumping Life after carbon pools: puddle jumping Liberty without consumption Liberty without consumption Rebuilding citizenship/social capital Rebuilding citizenship/social capital Studying the exits Studying the exits Formulating and embracing a land ethic Formulating and embracing a land ethic

The most important, meaningful, and longest lasting work that we can do for this place we call the Adirondack Park is to “Build receptivity into the still unlovely human mind”* Beginning with our own….. *Aldo Leopold, A Sand County Almanac