Thursday, September 17, 2009

Post Peak Living UnCrash Course

We are at the beginning of converging crises, each building on the other: the financial meltdown, peak oil and dramatic climate change. Perhaps with just one we could have managed but the impacts from all three are going to test us in ways we haven't imagined yet. The changes to our lifestyle have already begun and the trajectory is clear. It is now virtually certain that we will watch oil become scarce, crop yields decline, sea levels rise — and our whole financial structure buckle under the strain.

Are you preparing for this perfect storm of global crises? Do you even know how to prepare? Will you simply hunker down or will you see the opportunities to create a new life as well?

http://www.postpeakliving.com/uncrash-course

Our course, led by expert instructors who have been preparing for years, will go beyond preparation and will teach you to become someone who is committed to being a vital member of their community and living a fulfilling life during and after the transition away from fossil fuels. Creating community begins right away as course participants share their knowledge with each other via a private online forum in between course sessions.






Get ready quickly


The instructors have already spent years learning what you need to know and will generously share their knowledge with you. They will tell you the essential skills that are the most valuable to learn now.




Save Money


We'll make sure you don't go down blind alleys we've already investigated or purchase products that won't last or aren't worth the money.






Receive Support Throughout the Course



The course instructors participate in the private forum answering questions and point out additional resources that address your direct question.




Involve the Whole Family


Gather the whole family around the computer to learn new material and afterwards begin working on the homework assignments together.





You can continue to wait for global warming to reduce crop yields, oil to shoot back up over $100 barrel or for deflation or hyperinflation to wipe out the middle class. Or you can start preparing now because you can see that we are all going to experience remarkable lifestyle changes.


In this six week online course, not only will you mentally prepare for a very different world, you will prepare in these key areas:





Health


We have moved the session on Health earlier (to the second week) and have expanded it temporarily to include preparation for the pandemic. The Center for Disease Control is now stating that the best case scenario for this fall's flu season is the following:



  • infection rates up to 50% and a mortality rate of 0.5%; this is similar to the Asian flu, which killed approximately two million people in 1957

  • for comparison, the seasonal flu infects between 10% and 15% of the populace and has a mortality rate of 0.1%


This is not yet commonly known, so we will cover:



  • How to prepare for the pandemic at the same time


  • Practices and products to put in place and purchase now


In addition to the above, you will also learn to prepare for a declining health care system in the medium term due to the collapsing economy:



  • why getting healthy now could make a big difference later

  • key medicines to get while they are widely available

  • alternatives to Western medicine that are clinically proven to work





Skills


As unemployment increases, the formal economy will decline and the informal one will grow. This will require a new set of skills so that you can obtain goods and services. Perhaps paradoxically, it's also an excellent time to start a business. Many imported products will disappear from the shelves leaving room for local manufacturers and repair people.


As we get poorer, we believe most jobs that exist today will disappear. They are a product of an energy abundant world. We'll show you how to navigate the transition period — the period when you have to earn money in the current economy while learning your new skill.


In addition, you will learn:



  • how to select a skill that returns the greatest profit

  • the essential skills everyone should learn


  • how to avoid the pitfalls people fall into while transitioning

  • how to start learning those skills

  • why industrial society will not disappear and how to use that during your preparation







Food



It takes time to learn how to grow food, so we'll get you started right away, plus we'll cover:



  • how the "just-in-time" food system will be impacted by the financial crisis, peak oil and climate change — and how to prepare

  • growing food in suburban and urban environments

  • which kinds of food to grow and what you will need to grow them


  • how to get started with backyard animals like chickens and goats




Transportation


In a world of declining oil, transportation will dramatically change. Find out:



  • how to prepare for sky-high oil prices and oil shortages, which will greatly impact transportation

  • whether we will be driving electric cars or electric bikes, and why


  • which of the new transportation technologies we think are worth purchasing (should you buy an electric car? If so, what do you need to look for during your purchase?)

  • how to get ready for more difficult mobility

  • why even public transportation is going to get more difficult, and how you can prepare for that






Finances and Shelter


As jobs disappear and people watch the prospect of retirement disappear, handling your current wealth will be critical. Also, the nature of shelter is already changing with families and friends moving in with each other; more changes are on the way. In this section, you will learn:




  • what to do with your assets

  • innovative ways to stay sheltered during the transition

  • alternative ways to heat a house

  • the most cost-effective efficiency improvements for a home




Disaster Preparation



As Hurricane Katrina showed us, even in a healthy economy the government will strain to help people recover from disasters. As oil declines, you will need to be resilient and have established a strong community around you. In this section, you will learn:



  • what makes a great earthquake/disaster kit

  • skills to know for a disaster

  • how to create a disaster plan for your family

  • how much food and water you really need





Throughout the course, we'll point out which books to have on your bookshelf, which skills to begin learning now and which products to buy while they are still available (particularly imported ones).


The course textbook is When Technology Fails: A Manual For Self-Reliance, Sustainability, And Surviving The Long Emergency by Matthew Stein.


Instructors


Your course has one of two instructors.




André Angelantoni, BSc.



Civil Engineering


Previously a sustainability consultant who supported over 35 businesses to obtain their Green Business Certification, Mr. Angelantoni is the Co-Founder of Post Peak Living and the author of The Guide to Post Peak Living. He has been preparing for the impact of peak oil and climate change since 2007. He is a registered Federal Emergency Management Agency volunteer (trained for post-earthquake remediation) and has given preparation presentations to business (Sun, eBay, business groups), politicians and citizen groups throughout the San Francisco Bay Area. Mr. Angelantoni also helped found Post Carbon Marin.




Jason Bradford, Ph.D.


Evolutionary and Population Biology


Dr. Bradford is an expert biologist who has been working in Mendocino, CA on relocalization issues for the past four years. He founded WELL (Willits Economic Localization) and has pioneered how to grow food in suburban environments; he harvests rainwater from his roof and runs an organic, commercial farm (see http://www.well95490.org). Dr. Bradford is also the host of The Reality Report, a long-format interview radio show in Mendocino in which he interviews the leading figures in energy and relocalization (click here for past shows). Dr. Bradford was a key advisor in the development of the UnCrash Course curriculum.








When and Where


The courses take place over six weeks on Saturday or Monday mornings from 10am to 1pm PST and occur completely online. There is a 5-minute break at 11am and noon.


The September course will be taught by André Angelantoni and the November course will be taught by Jason Bradford. The dates are:











September 5

September 12

September 19

September 26

October 3


October 10
Or November 2

November 9

November 16

November 23


November 30

December 7

The course is best experienced with an Internet connection, however, we can accommodate people with a single voice line by sending materials ahead of time. You will want a good long distance plan or calling cards or you can use a service such as Skype or Jajah.




Price



The early registration price is $199 until three weeks before the course start date (see the registration page for exact dates). Registration includes all six sessions and forum support. Regular registration is priced at $249.


You must be able to attend the first session and at least four of all six sessions.


All homework is submitted each week for instructor feedback. The homework takes between two and eight hours each week. Please register in the course only if you are willing to commit this amount of time to your preparation. This is not a 'listen-only' course.




Families Learn from Each Other


All course participants get a dedicated online forum to exchange information and accelerate their learning. You will have homework. You do not have to do the homework but considering what is at stake that would be unfortunate.


You are registering per household so that means you can have multiple people attend, including older children (ages 14 and up). We will make the tone light so families can participate and we will concentrate on what do to. If your whole family participates, you will definitely have fun together building gardens, building solar ovens and having conversations over dinner.





It's Crunch Time


Time is the most important thing you have available right now. We strongly urge you to register today.




Extra Coaching


Individual coaching is available from both instructors. Please contact us for more information and rates.



Registration is now open for the fall course and we're looking forward to working with you!


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