title: The end of suburbia: what happens when all the cheap oil is gone and what are the health implications?
abstract: In isolation, the depletion of the world's stocks of cheap oil is a risk management problem of global proportions. The risk would be manageable given an international agreement by all the developed nations to conserve much of the remaining cheap oil for essential purposes, but there is no such agreement nor is there any intent to create one. Evidence is presented to show that the synergetic interaction of oil depletion with other long-standing environmental problems will result in world food production peaking and then declining at a rapid rate. Australian Census data for the journey to work and the growth of car ownership are analysed. It reveals that car/ oil dependency is growing in outer suburbia, where most Australians live and where future population growth will be housed. It is argued that oil dependency, if not reduced, will develop into a serious threat to national security in a few years. Health promotion professionals have an important role in activating local, State and Commonwealth governments to implement 'travel smart' programs.
authors.affiliation: alanpar@labyrinth.net.au
authors.forename: Alan A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Parker
mesh_terms: D001315:Australia; D006293:Health Promotion; D006801:Humans; D008019:Life Style; D018986:Motor Vehicles / Q000191:economics* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D010578:Petroleum / Q000191:economics*; D012637:Security Measures; D013383:Suburban Population; D014186:Transportation / Q000379:methods / Q000706:statistics & numerical data
chemical_list: D010578:Petroleum