The Distance Project

The Breaking - More Martha Stewart or Road Warrior?

Posted on March 30th, 2007 by Zach.
Categories: Systems of the World, Industry.

We are beholden to tentative social systems like never before in human history.

Usually when that idea pops into my head, I am freaking out about the coming Oil crisis. Oil dictates so incredibly much of my world, it is crazy. The success of Reware for example is utterly and completely dictated by fossil based fuels. We build Solar Bags in which, let’s say for argument sake, 80-90%% of our process is dependent on Oil – The photovoltaics include materials refined using fossil based energy, they are then sealed in a special plastic coating (all plastics are petroleum based), they are then shipped (Using diesel fired trucks, trains, and planes) to a factory whose machines, heat, lights, and arriving workers are all powered by fossil energy. They cut rolls of various Nylon Fabrics (and if you own nylon, you own a nice little piece of woven oil my friend) into bags that incorporate the solar. Bags are then shipped to a warehouse, and then shipped to your doorstep. Let’s see, is there any step that isn’t totally dependent on the oil economy for us? Nope.

Think Oil price fluctuations matter?
And we are not special, you can take apart any industry and see the exact thing.

The systemic use of Oil in the world is astounding and we have two brand spanking new industrial behemoths developing in India and China. There is no question that there will be some shortage in availability will effect the cost of doing business AT EVERY SINGLE STEP for us, and the US economy at large.

Not convinced? Talk to Matt Simmons – a former Bush energy advisor - about what he thinks about the Oil that exists in the oilfields of the Middle East, or what he anticipates the growing demand to do to our own national security. Or how about James Woolsey, former CIA head under Clinton. Or Amory Lovins, who has forgotten more about this issue than I will ever know.

All of them will tell you that the coming Oil shock is a big deal. Interestingly though, it is not the only system we hang onto by a thread. There are other examples; among others Food Distribution, Clean Water Access, hell Traffic Volume - are all systems that stand precarious if you start to analyze them.

Imagine for a second all communications stopped on the planet. It is not that hard to spin a scenario where all satellite communications were knocked out, and not just from a rogue missile system Take this story about a coming solar storm.

Oh yeah, you read that right, Solar Storms! As if we didn’t have enough to worry about right? But I don’t bring this up in a doomsday mood – we’ll leave the killer asteroid we should worry about for another time. No, it looks like this storm won’t disrupt much, but it served as a mechanism to think about how critically important global communications are to the world we live in, and are only getting more so.

The question I find myself asking is what would be the impact of this. Seriously this is what I am wondering – what happens when the systems of the world come to a grinding halt? The easy answer is that I need to start buying leather chaps and spiked collars for my posse of punked out 80’s style post-apocalyptic warriors. We could drive around in dune buggies looking for trouble.

As exciting as that vision is, it seems like there might be a more nuanced answer. Will it be Road Warrior, or Martha Stewart, this world where systems break down. Is there good in system breakage? A rise in local economies, a subsistence workday, a return to natural fibers and a lessening of mass produced goods anyone? Any takers?

I don’t have all the answers, but I am curious. I can’t help but think that with all the doomsday projections, there are some serious unrealized positives. And I don’t call me a Luddite, I am just spinning the question. The Amish live a decent lifestyle, with happiness, family, and healthy economy. Is it unreasonable to look at that and wonder what would become of us should the systems we rely on so heavily disappear?

My current lifestyle personally would come to a grinding halt, especially workwise. I count myself as pretty handy, but the reality is I like the creature comforts of our systems. I don’t want to work in the fields dawn til dusk. I am a product of the digital age. I don’t remember what it was like before email – partly because it has become so ingrained in the business and personal world, and partly because I never worked in the pre-digital age. I have some vague recollection about how you do research without the internet, but sourcing materials for Juice Bags?

Now how would I go about that exactly? No really.

Update 4.5.07: It appears the Solar Storm will screw up systems. GPS and general global navigation may feel the heat. Sorry about the pun.

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