PeakChoice.org is best viewed on a desktop or laptop, not a mobile phone 2024 election - election anxiety - Peak Choice

slideshows (in PDF format)


www.peakchoice.org/climate.pdf
Peak Energy and Climate Chaos
- two aspects of ecological overshoot
recession and covid closures cut energy more than climate concerns
practice for geologic depletion

www.peakchoice.org/oil.pdf
conventional oil peaked in the USA in 1970, fracked oil and tar sands mining postponed rationing
, Alaskan oil in permanent decline (it powers the motors of Oregon)
fracking during the Obama / Biden and Trump administrations postponed energy rationing
fracking peaked just before Covid

www.peakchoice.org/limits.pdf
1972 "Limits to Growth" study predicted our predicament

www.peakchoice.org/pdf/gas-electricity.pdf
two pages: Unnatural gas and electricity

www.peakchoice.org/electricity.pdf
electricity in USA on a plateau sustained by fracked gas

natural gas is the biggest energy source for the three US power grids - western, eastern and Texas
renewables have increased but are a small percent of total generation
it is not possible to sustain an always on power grid with variable generation sources (unfortunately)

www.peakchoice.org/gas.pdf
conventional unnatural gas peaked in USA in 1973
, fracking is a huge but temporary bubble
74% of USA gas production was fracked in 2022
gas is the largest energy source for electricity generation in USA, it powers the western, eastern and Texas grids
the largest use of gas is electricity

www.peakchoice.org/quads.pdf
USA peak energy - 2007

101 quads - quadrillion BTUs

www.peakchoice.org/traffic.pdf
Peak Vehicle Miles Traveled sustained by fracked fuels and tar sands
traffic levels declined more due to Covid than climate activism

peak energy conflicts with plans for a trillion dollars in highway expansions across the USA
legal strategy to shift expansion plans toward policies conducive to an energy constrained, climate concerned future
Oregon counties with better public transit (Multnomah, Benton, Lane) had peak VMT on the state highway network during conventional oil
counties with less transit (Washington, Clackamas, Marion, Jackson, Josephine, Deschutes) are at or near a new, higher peak now

www.peakchoice.org/beltline-126.pdf
ODOT's plans to expand Beltline and Route 126 (Eugene - Veneta) for over a half billion dollars
16 lane widening of Beltline highway, third of a billion dollars (or more), virtually no public awareness let alone opposition to the plans but also no appropriation of funds beyond the Environmental Assessment
federal laws that prevented the West Eugene Porkway (1951 - 2007) do not apply to this project
Highway 126 widening Eugene - Veneta: smaller highway expansion proposed across Fern Ridge reservoir past parkland and rare habitats. No money appropriated. Might have more legal obstacles than Beltline widening.

www.peakchoice.org/portland.pdf
highway plans in Portland
, cancelling Mt. Hood freeway enabled start of MAX light rail

www.peakchoice.org/clearcut.pdf
clearcutting the climate, deforestation causes desertification

www.peakchoice.org/eweb.pdf
Eugene Water and Electric Board - utility vs. forest protection, Eugene, Oregon
clearcut of old forest for water tank expansion (2021), neglect of existing infrastructure despite unchecked development (that does not pay its way for urban expansions)

www.peakchoice.org/wep.pdf
West Eugene Porkway (1951 - 2007)

Mission Accomplished: No Build federal decision 2007
ecological significance - legal obstacles - energy limits and transportation planning
Mark Robinowitz, Road Scholar

www.peakchoice.org/law.pdf
WEP was one of the most illegal highways ever proposed
West Eugene Transportation, Land Use and Neighborhood Design Solutions (WETLANDS) v. Federal Highway Administration: never filed, FHWA chose "No Build" since they knew they would lose in court

www.peakchoice.org/clearcut.pdf
clearcutting the climate, deforestation causes desertification

www.peakchoice.org/eweb.pdf
Eugene Water and Electric Board - utility vs. forest protection, Eugene, Oregon
clearcut of old forest for water tank expansion (2021), neglect of existing infrastructure despite unchecked development (that does not pay its way for urban expansions)