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The GENI-us Letter

Oil at $50 a Barrel — It's Time to Change

Dear GENI Friend,

Filling your gas tank has become a shocking experience for us all. Our addiction to oil extends to every sector of the economy, so costs are also rising for industry, agriculture and housing. The experts will point to supply interruptions in Nigeria, Russia and Iraq, plus growing demand in China and India. Economists state that 9 of the last 10 recessions were preceded by high oil prices.

Other expert opine that the world has reached our peak oil period — where oil production will forever diminish from our present extraction rates. Qualified people will certainly disagree, stating enormous proven reserves remain for decades. Yet, all agree that we're not making any more of this precious fossil fuel — which has utility far beyond gasoline for our cars. Petroleum is essential for manufacturing plastics, fertilizers, chemicals and pharmaceuticals. Our lifestyle takes these for granted.

Can you imagine the financial impact on a developing nation of $50 oil? Are we fated to resource wars in coming decades just to keep driving our SUVs? Must the Titanic sink again, even though we see the iceberg dead ahead? Buckminster Fuller said that society often needs a breakdown before we change — emergence through emergency. We need a new path, and bold action now.

For many years Lester Brown has been providing thoughtful solutions to many of our planet's ills. The attached article, The Short Path to Oil Independence, offers an aggressive plan to make the transition. Using grid connected wind energy and a hybrid engine for transportation, he shows how to simultaneously expand the economy and protect our environment. That's our message too, and we ask you to share it with your family, colleagues and government officials. (Use the "Tell your friends about this page." feature at the bottom of the article.)

Please contribute to the sustainability of our planet — vote with your dollars and support GENI.


In partnership for the planet,

Peter Meisen

President

p.s. The 2004 Matching Grant Program from our GENI Board is continuing, so all new contributions will be doubled! Call or e-mail for details.

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The Global Energy Network Institute focuses on the interconnection of electric power networks between nations and continents, with an emphasis on tapping abundant renewable energy resources. This strategy is the highest priority of the World Game simulation developed by Dr. Buckminster Fuller three decades ago.


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