Forum for UK �Peak Oil� awareness & discussion launched

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
(Free-Press-Release.com) April 15, 2005 --

UK oil depletion awareness organisation PowerSwitch.org.uk has officially launched a free forum on Friday 15th April 2005 for people concerned about the imminent peak in global oil production and the consequences to meet, talk and work locally to raise awareness. The ever-rising oil prices are a result of strong global demand soon to be exceeding world supply, It is argued that is because we are fast approaching terminal decline in world production that the world is struggling to meet global needs. That certainly is the perspective taken by bodies such as the Association for the Study of Peak Oil and Gas (www.peakoil.net) , Oil Depletion Analysis Centre (www.odac-info.org) and PowerSwitch (www.PowerSwitch.org.uk).

People tend to take oil for granted but do no realise how vital it is for our daily living, from agriculture to medicine to industry and obviously transport. Due to oil being so entwined to the way we live there is no doubt that a permanent oil crisis � such as those seen in the 1970s but lasting permanently � would mean significant changes would be needed to the way we live. PowerSwitch feels that early preparation for this period is prudent and vital and is encouraging people all around the UK to raise awareness.

Officially launched on 15th April 2005, the forums can be found at http://www.powerswitch.org.uk/forum and is open to all from around the UK to meet and discuss. � People have to get together and work on this. This has to be a grass-roots movement,� explained James Howard of PowerSwitch.org.uk. � We just can�t expect the government to turn around and say that we�re going to have to get by on less and less oil, because oil � and the growing use of oil � is so fundamental to economic growth. Governments cannot shatter the idea of permanent economic growth. It is not exactly a vote winner to propose cutbacks and people never voted for austerity! Therefore the call for change and the spread of information has to come from the public.�

PowerSwitch.org.uk now has over 200 members and the website regularly gets over 1000 visits a day. Since its formation in October 2004 the group has seen the level of awareness rising. �There is no doubt that people are talking about oil peak more,� stated James Howard. � The Hirsch Report for the U.S Department of Energy covered it; a presentation to the U.S Congress by Roscoe Bartlett also explained the urgency of the situation; the Green Party in New Zealand is very vocal about it. We need something like that happening here in the UK. �


Note to editors:

Oilfields Megaproject Report by Chris Skrebowski can be found at:
http://www.globalpublicmedia.com/interviews/378

The Hirsch Report (Peaking of World Oil Production) for the U.S Department of Energy can be found at:
http://www.hilltoplancers.org/stories/hirsch0502.pdf

The presentation by Republican congressman Roscoe Bartlett on Peak Oil to the US Congress can be found at:
http://www.bartlett.house.gov/SupportingFiles/documents/PeakOil.pdf