The original Running on Empty and Energy Resources yahoo groups have archived tens of thousands of messages about the upcoming shortages of energy. This forum continues this discussion, with an emphasis on what, if anything, can be done about the situation, with an Australian emphasis.

Authoritative data from the oil industry indicates that from about 2007 on(perhaps as early as 2005), there will be a permanent 3% (or more) per year decline of output from the world's now-emptying global oil fields.

Oil is vital to our transportation, agricultural, and industrial energy needs.

North American natural gas is in serious trouble too: much of it is used in power generation plants. They provide the electricity for computers, traffic lights, street lights and industrial machinery, home heating, and businesses. Natural gas is the crucial raw material for producing fertilizers for crops (our food supply.)

When the US economy goes into a steep dive, Australia's will be immediately affected.

Furthermore, on current trends, Australia could be totally out of oil sometime in 2012. Time's running out fast!

Calculations show that alternative sources of energy are severely inadequate and diffuse. There is no way that the present high energy Western lifestyle can be sustained by wind or solar energies.

The days of cheap oil are numbered. Energy scarcity will bring major global recession, food shortages, fighting over resources, and (literally) billions of human deaths.