THE LONG EMERGENCY

THE LONG EMERGENCY by JAMES HOWARD KUNSTLER

Atlantic Monthly Press, 2005

ISBN 0-87113-888-3

REVIEW

In The Long Emergency, James Howard Kunstler gives a perspective on the oil crisis that must be heard, understood, and dealt with NOW. He illuminates the depth of destruction we are facing due to our reliance on cheap fossil fuels to support our modern way of life and future growth. He addresses such issues as: our inability to see the current oil crisis as it now stands, the political tension we are and will be facing with 1/3 of the world’s remaining oil situated in the Middle East, the notion that alternative fuels are not developed or abundant enough to replace our current use of oil, nature’s response to our overuse of fossil fuels via temperature changes and the ensuing effects on disease, and an inevitable bust in our economy. Depressing? Yes. Realistic? He makes a good argument with examples that are specific, relevant and relatable.

RELEVANCE - 5

Kunstler attacks the larger design dilemma in an argument that discusses the notion of downscaling, rescaling, downsizing, and relocalizing. Interpreted from this message is a designer’s duty to buy locally, program space efficiently, and pay attention to the three golden rules of real estate: location, location, location as being local, local, local. In doing so, he does not discuss ways in which to design sustainably, but he does give every reason for seeing it as the only option left. Kunstler, like Ford, is saying, “You can have any design you like, so long as it’s sustainable.”

OPINION - 5

It is imperative that you enlighten yourself with today’s reality by reading this book, or soon you WILL be living in the dark. If you don’t understand the severity of the looming challenges we are facing you will undoubtedly be contributing to them. Just be prepared that after reading it you will want to leave your career to become a farmer or a tradesman. After all, what would be the value of a being a businessman in a city without an economy? What and how would you eat if we don’t have the fuel to fill our grocery stores with fruit from Mexico? (Did you know that the average Caesar salad travels over 2500 miles to get to your dinner table?) The Long Emergency undoubtedly challenges our current lifestyles and brings light to the problems we will be facing in a world that developed in one hundred years with what took the planet to make in thousands. How can anyone believe that this way of life can be sustained?