So, I started my new job here last Monday morning on the 1st. I'm working for the town this year Monday through Friday, from the ungodly hour of 7:30 in the morning till 4:30 in the afternoon. The pay is nothing special (8.64 an hour) but at least it's money. At first I was under the impression waking up at 6:30 was going to be my death bed but, suprisingly, it's been an interesting experiance. It's nice to have so much time when you get off work to yourself as opposed to doing 9 to 6 shifts or 12 to 9 shifts and only having a couple hours when you get home before you have to go to bed. I was thinking about picking up a second part time job but figured that would get somewhat in the way of the lobby work I want to do this summer on peak oil and renewable energy.

Speaking of which, I've been in contact with The Post Carbon Institute for the last week and a half and have now officially started a branch here in Ponoka. They're not actually a lobby group themselves as much as they are an informational hub to try and help cooridinate with different communities to prepare for the effects of Peak Oil. I'm waiting on an answer from them as to whether or not I could start a lobby group under their banner so we'll have to wait and see.

I'm still not sure myself about the principals of absolutley no hydrocarbon energy sources if those sources could act as transitional fuels for the world and thus ease possible tensions and conflicts between different nations though. It's kind of a "when morals get in the way of morals" type thing. On one side you believe it goes against certain morals to continue useing hydrocarbon reserves because of the effect it has on the planet, but on the other hand you know war will most certinley have a negative effect for all species on this planet. 'War you say'? Yes, war. There are generally four sources of conflict in this world which include: Money, values and ideas, prestige/pride and resource distribution. As has already been touched on, the first and last sources are inseperably linked and I don't think it's a stretch to say with peak oil they will come into play in a large manner.

"I know not with what weapons World War III will be fought, but I can tell you World War IV will be fought with sticks and stones."

~Albert Einstein

But whatever, the institution is a starting/rallying point none the less. And the world needs that more ever right now.

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Edit- I should note that I'm not entirely sure about The Post Carbon Institute's policy on hydrocarbons as transitional fuels. It could be they mean the idea is to have no hydrocarbons used after the world has adapted to peak oil, not during the peak and decline.