An intense article by Kunstler, 'We Must Imagine a Future Without Cars ' on AlterNet.org , Wednesday 04 April 2007 posted at http://www.truthout.org/issues_06/040407ED.shtml#

Kunstler argues that the coming age of energy scarcity will change everything about how we live in this country - most of all our dependency on automobiles.

The file is James Kunstler's recent speech to the Commonwealth Club of California. An audio stream of the speech is available.

COMMENTARY: Ten Things Wrong With Sprawl
By James M. McElfish, Jr.

In just the next 34 years, the Census Bureau tells us, we 300 million Americans will be joined by another 92 million.(1) Where will all these people—mostly us and our direct descendants—live, work, play, worship, buy, sell, and serve? Where will 40 million additional households be located? What sort of built environment will we produce, and what will be the results for the nation’s and the environment’s well-being?
Sprawl has 10 undeniably adverse effects (elaborated on in his essay)that should place it on the public policy agenda:
1. Sprawl development contributes to a loss of support for public facilities and public amenities.
2. Sprawl undermines effective maintenance of existing infrastructure.
3. Sprawl increases societal costs for transportation.
4. Sprawl consumes more resources than other development patterns.
5. Sprawl separates urban poor people from jobs.
6. Sprawl imposes a tax on time.
7. Sprawl degrades water and air quality.
8. Sprawl results in the permanent alteration or destruction of habitats.
9. Sprawl creates difficulty in maintaining community.
10. Sprawl offers the promise of choice while delivering more of the same.
JAMES M. MCELFISH, JR. is director of the Sustainable Use of Land Program at the Environmental Law Institute, (202)939-3800, www.eli.org.

This is a slick and sparsely worded ppt about our US/Canadian capacity to respond to energy descent.
Closing the Collapse Gap
http://www.cluborlov.com/ClubOrlov/ConfSlides/index.html