Growing vegetables and fruits for fun, often called “agritainment”, has become a new leisure for rich Americans.  Overwhelmed with frantic city life and chaotic schedules, many professionals now turn to the peace and quiet of a farm for relief.  With the failing economy and the housing market plunge, there is an undeniable pleasure to see that we can still accomplish something, even if it is as simple as growing a perfect, bright red tomato.  In the wake of this trend, some people have taken the idea of agritainment beyond leisure and turned it into a lifestyle called “permaculture” with a mission to save the planet.  According to the co-founder of the so-called permaculture movement, “People and nature are both preserved and enhanced by thoughtful planning, the careful use of resources, mimicking the patterns found in nature (bio-mimicry) and a respectful approach to life.” (http://www.midwestpermaculture.com).  Permaculture communities, called transition towns, have sprouted across the country, providing a haven to those who want to live among environmentally-aware neighbors.  The name “transition town” is based on the idea that society must transition into a post-petroleum era.  The residents of the towns are coming together to prepare for the drastic, fundamental change they anticipate will jolt our global community.

It is understandable that permaculture followers may be attracted to the opportunity to have a stronger voice in support of the environment in their small community than they would if, say, they lived in Chicago or New York City.  They may appreciate seeing their friends and neighbors treat the environment with respect rather than watch garbage pile up on the streets of downtown San Francisco.  Furthermore, the anxiety rooted in the impending transition we face into a post-petroleum era is widespread and expected.

However noble the spirit of permaculture might be and however understandable their frustrations are with the current state of the environment, the question remains:  Are these communities effective?  In answering this question, a few factors need to be considered:  First, let’s recall the simple fact that the Earth itself is a limited resource.  Isolating oneself from the billions of people also sharing it does not mean he or she is suddenly living on a healthier planet.  Second, the development of environmentally-conscientious energy resources will be driven by demand for them.  If all the environmentally-conscientious people isolate themselves from domestic and global markets, the remaining aggregate voice will be less environmentally-conscientious for having lost them.  In the long run, if permaculture followers isolate themselves from the rest of us, they might actually contribute to a less healthy planet than had they stayed engaged.

I think that the “transition town” residents need to consider the driving economic forces behind oil in order to succeed in their endeavor:  Oil is a limited resource, which means that eventually we were going to run out of it.  As the remaining amounts of oil deplete, the price of it will continue to get higher and higher over time.  If we demand alternative forms of energy, inventors and scientists will, in theory, develop an energy source (or multiple energy sources) that is cheaper than the rising price of oil.  Therefore, in theory, oil should be replaced with a different source of energy before it is entirely eliminated.  I hope that calms those of you who are panicked about the depletion of oil.  The next order of business is to consider the extent to which our next energy source is environmentally-conscientious.  Whether or not we use environmentally-conscientious energy as our next energy source is based on a simple concept:  incentives.  The depletion of oil has provided the incentive for companies, inventors, and scientists to find a new source of energy.  The government can provide incentives for environmentally-conscientious energy sources with tax breaks or other rewards for new ideas.  Vitally important, however, are the incentives that consumers bring to the market.  We called for organic food products?  They now stock the aisles of the grocery stores.  We demanded hybrid cars?  You have plenty to choose from these days.  Do we want an environmentally-conscientious energy source to replace oil?  Then we need to establish the demand.  If permaculture followers disappear, the demand will be weakened because of them.