Vision Statement

We of Seattle Peak Oil Awareness (SPOA) understand that humanity is approaching the end of an era of unprecedented material affluence. The age of cheap energy, which has enabled us to ignore, degrade, and/or escape the harsh and beautiful mistress that is the Earth and her ecology, is coming to a close. With this transition, human life will become more fragile and uncertain. However, we are optimistic that with wise decision-making backed by concerted effort, we can build a community and a culture which will allow us and our loved ones to live worthwhile and fulfilling lives, and which can provide a positive example for our larger society.

Worldview Statement

We are facing a challenge of unprecedented magnitude and gravity. With each passing year, the basic unsustainability of our political, economic, industrial, and agricultural systems becomes more apparent. We understand that resource surplus is the basis for much of the kindness, cooperation, technology, and complex organization produced by civilization, and that these positive values are endangered as resource surpluses slide into resource deficits.

Our ultimate ideal, which we share with many other organizations and individuals, is a sustainable and just society. We are optimistic that such a society could ultimately be achieved; however, we anticipate that the transition will not be a smooth and painless one. We expect a great deal of chaos and many discontinuities during the transition. These could include severe economic disruption, political disorder or extremism, severely restricted mobility, increased environmental degradation, famine, and intercommunal violence or war.

To survive these discontinuities, we will need to do far more than merely create a vision of a sustainable world and live in accordance with that vision. Many groups are working toward building such a vision, but we feel that the special insight from peak oil suggests an alternate project: building a safe path through the dangerous and chaotic times ahead. A critical part of preparing for the discontinuities to come is the realization that our modern industrial civilization is every bit as subject to collapse as the myriad of technologically and culturally sophisticated civilizations that have collapsed before us. “Progress” is not inevitable. Once we’re clear of the collapse or transformation of our current petro-industrial system, we’ll be able to assess our resources and options for rebuilding a better world. Until that time, we believe that building for the far side of that unknown is a risky proposition. When making plans and preparations for the future, we must bear these points in mind.

Mission Statement

The purpose of Seattle Peak Oil is to build robust and resilient meta-communities whose participants have plans and options to help sustain and secure them through the discontinuities that await us. Seattle Peak Oil will focus on connecting people who can build a high level of mutual trust and add value to each others lives and projects. By adding value, we mean developing and maintaining skills, knowledge and resources that will be useful during the uncertain times ahead.

To achieve this purpose, we will emphasize and promote the following attributes individually and organizationally: initiative, mutual trust, timely and wise use of resources, re-localization, the practice of sustainability where appropriate, productivity, self-reliance, and a clear understanding of our present reality.