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How Cuba beat its Energy Famine


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This is a fascinating video. No charts, no maths, just a documentary.

 

This is just so relevant to this subject.

 

The Power of Community: How Cuba Survived Peak Oil, 53 min <<<< A MUST watch

http://video.google.co.uk/videoplay?docid=...rvived+Peak+Oil

(the opening few minutes is missing)

 

Excellent find, Steve. It is a must watch summary, I think.

 

Here's an important statistic from the video.

 

The average American consumes:

+ Food... : 10 barrels per capita

+ Autos.. : 9 barrels

+ Homes : 7 barrels

 

"The whole vision of the developing world is... there going to be like America someday.

But that isnt going to happen. Even America in the future isnt going to be like America today."

 

"Cuba shows us how to cope. It has already been through an Energy famine."

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"The government imported 1.2 million bicycles from China, and built 500,000 more"

 

"The Dollar reach 150 peso, and average income was 300 pesos a day" = $2 per day

 

Urbam argriculture produces food closer to those who need it, eliminating the need for long transport chains.

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It fits in so brilliantly with what Chris Martenson has been talking about doesn't it !

 

If anyone watches it from this thread, and hasn't watched Chris's videos, then please do so:

 

CHRIS MARTENSON Videos with screenshots - Vids 1 to 20 & Latest News

***** THIS IS A "MUST WATCH" TOPIC *****

http://www.greenenergyinvestors.com/index.php?showtopic=4005

 

 

Someone on Chris's site mentioned it. I was instantly hooked. Lost in cyberspace for a few hours :D

 

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Having visited Cuba twice I was amazed at the contrast between how decrepid their infrastructure is and how healthy and educated their people are. They were really nice people. A lot want a better standard of living but are also aware of the downside of the so called 'free world'. I would not swop my life with them but I guess ignoring dispoable the average cubans life is no worse and proably better than quite a few poor indebted Americans.

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  • 7 months later...

ripe for revival?

== ==

 

From the "Artist revives Detroit" thread :

 

There are two viable models for America in the future: Cuba and Hong Kong, while the suburbs die.

Detroit is going to go after the Cuba model, this documentary suggests

 

Detroit - Building the Green City :

"A documentary in the works that explores the potential of revitalizing a shrinking city by reclaiming its vacant lands for agricultural development."

 

Seeds in the City - Cuba :

"This is the remarkable story of how the people of Havana have pulled themselves back from the brink of disaster.

 

Faced with food shortages and widespread hunger, city dwellers began growing food on rooftops and in front of office buildings. "It was a very spontaneous movement. People started to grow things on every available place", states on resident. Now, there are thousands of urban farms and more than a million tons of food is produced within the city."

 

The two cities have a lot in common, and Detroit can learn much from Havana.

Believe it or not, that would make Detroit a leader in America.

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Playing with numbers...

 

Here's an important statistic from the video.

The average American consumes:

+ Food... : 10 barrels per capita

+ Autos.. : 9 barrels

+ Homes : 7 barrels

= TOTAL = 25 barrels per capita

 

Compare:

So what exactly are the pro and con arguments regarding the bubble bursting? As to demand, it is mentioned how while the U.S. per-capita oil consumption is 25 barrels annually, both China and India are small in comparison, with China consuming only two barrels per person per year, with India consuming less than one barrel per person per year. Given that China and India have 1.3 and 1.1 billion citizens, respectively, there is an expectation that oil demand will increase in each of these countries as more of their citizens look to enjoy the fruits of the world, such as air conditioning, automobiles, refrigeration, and computers.

 

As for global oil consumption, it is down in total for the OECD nations (which account for more than half of all global oil demand). Demand itself is currently running about 86 million barrels a day and is expected to be relatively flat as nations cut back on consumption, in particular, automobile miles traveled. Yet, oil demand continues to grow in the developing world, and it will be difficult for even developed countries to reverse their trends quickly. As stated by Byron Wien, the chief investment strategist at Pequot Capital Management, "The world isn't finding oil fast enough to replace the 3% to 4% that gets pumped every year."

/source: http://www.bestwaytoinvest.com/stories/oil...e-argument-weak

 

Country population : Per capita : Annual Oil : Daily barrels

USA : Food ............ : 10. bbl/yr. : 3.07 bn bbls : 8.4 mn (10%)

USA : Autos ........... : 9.0 bbl/yr. : 2.76 bn bbls : 7.6 mn

USA : Homes ......... : 7.0 bbl/yr. : 2.15 bn bbls : 5.9 mn

U.S.A.. / 0,307 mn. . : 26. bbl/yr. : 7.98 bn bbls : 21.9 mn (25%)

Europe/ 0,500 mn. . : 7.0 bbl/yr. : 3.50 bn bbls : 9.6 mn (11%)

China. / 1,340 mn. . : 2.3 bbl/yr. : 3.08 bn bbls : 8.4 mn (10%)

India.. / 1,160 mn. . : 1.5 bbl/yr. : 1.74 bn bbls : 4.8 mn ( 6%)

R.of.W./ 3,461 mn. : 4.35 bbl/yr. :15.07 bn bbls : 41.3 mn (48%)

============

World. / 6,768 mn.. : 4.6 bbl/yr. : 31.4 bn bbls : 86.0 mn (100%)

Emer.. / 0??? mn. . : ?.? bbl/y.r : x.xx bn bbls : 43.9 mn ( 51%)

 

Global Oil Reserve : 3.5% pumped : 900 bn bbls

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