Rewiew on Suburbia

A- Criteria on documentary




-Assumption




-Adequate background




- Evidence




-Clarity

-Balanced

-Comprehensive




-Up to date




-Entertaining




-Conclusion






B- It's the End of the World as We Know It (Thomas Wheeler)

Assumption

A simple fact of life is that any system based on the use of nonrenewable resources is unsustainable.

In a fascinating new documentary, "The End of Suburbia: Oil Depletion and the Collapse of the American Dream," the central question is this: Does the suburban way of life have a future? The answer is a resounding no.

Kunstler calls the project of suburbia "the greatest misallocation of resources in the history of the world" and says "America has squandered its wealth in a living arrangement that has no future."

The End of Suburbia outlines the seemingly rational and logical impulse behind the project of suburbia.

Adequate background

"The End of Suburbia" points out that the rise of the suburbs was made possible by abundant and cheap oil.

The voracious and expanding energy needs of our industrial society, our insane consumer culture, and the affluent suburban lifestyles are brushing up against the disturbing reality of finite energy resources.

Evidence

The End of Suburbia marshals an impressive array of evidence that the growing energy demands of the "American dream" in suburbia will eclipse our planet's ability to provide it.

For those who are familiar with the issues of peak oil and resource depletion, the usual suspects are here. They include Richard Heinberg, Michael Klare, Matthew Simmons, Michael C. Ruppert, Julian Darley, Dr. Colin Campbell, and Kenneth Deffeyes, among others. All of these individuals provide valuable information and insights concerning the coming energy crisis and the impact it will have on the lives of people on the North American continent.

The standout star of the film is author and critic of contemporary culture, James Howard Kunstler.

Modern suburbia traces its beginnings to just after World War II when the suburban project took off with a massive housing boom and the increasing dominance of the automotive industry.

Clarity

It serves as great introduction and a real eye-opener for people who are largely unfamiliar with the topic of energy depletion and the impact it will have on their lives and communities.

The End of Suburbia makes it crystal clear that suburban living has very poor prospects for the future. Any attempt to maintain it will be futile.

Balanced

Individuals provide valuable information and insights concerning the coming energy crisis and the impact it will have on the lives of people on the North American continent.

Although the documentary mostly avoids the gloom and doom of some peak oil theorists, it does occasionally touch on some of the darker aspects of fossil fuel depletion, notably how it will impact food production.

It stands to reason that if suburbia is going to collapse, it also means this centralized model of agriculture will collapse too.

Comprehensive vs. neglecting key facts

"The End of Suburbia" points out that no combination of alternative fuels can run and maintain our current system as it is now.

Up to date

The End of Suburbia shows how the suburban way of life has become normalized and reveals the enormous effort currently put forth to maintain it. On a foreign policy level, it means continued aggressive attempts to secure access to the remaining reserves of oil on the planet in order to prop up and maintain the increasingly dysfunctional and obscene suburban lifestyle.

The film does a great job of shooting down the hysterical applause for hydrogen. The idea of a hydrogen economy is mostly fantasy.

Entertaining

The documentary is actually quite engaging and entertaining. Not only is it informative for those already familiar with the issues but it's also quite accessible and enlightening for the uninitiated.

Conclusion

When you look at all the conceivable alternatives the conclusion is there is no combination of any alternatives that will allow us to continue consuming the way we do.

The consensus is the suburbs will surely not survive the end of cheap oil and natural gas. In other words, the massive downscaling of America--voluntary or involuntary--will be the trend of the future.

It does provide a much-needed look at the reality of the situation many in North America will be facing in the coming years. For that reason, "The End of Suburbia" is one of the most important must-see documentaries of the year.

3- This is a positive commentary about the documentary.