Independent Study for Students LESSON ONE Oil Crisis: Get Into the Game A global oil crisis has begun. Oil usage worldwide has increased to where the oil supply can only meet 95 percent of the demand. Begin the inquiry into the effects of less oil in our lives. LESSON TWO: How Bad Can It Get? Fuel prices rise in anticipation of when actual supplies start to run short. It's clear that there is no quick fix to the shortage. Tensions start to rise. LESSON THREE: Life Is Starting to Change Widespread changes are starting. Goods and services that depended on cheap oil are failing. LESSON FOUR: Elasticity and Collapse This lesson investigates the factors that define elasticity in relation to oil—factors such as lifestyle, geography, setting and community. LESSON FIVE: Oil Dependency Among Nations The oil crisis has caused some nations to reconsider their foreign policy objectives—and to aggressively seek to acquire oil. LESSON SIX: Food Without Oil The impact of oil on our food supply is one of the most serious aspects of the oil crisis. Shortages are forcing many people to look for locally grown food. LESSON SEVEN: Breakdown Governments have been hit as hard as anyone by the crisis, leading to the existence of red and green zones in cities and refugee camps in rural areas. LESSON EIGHT: Preparation and Community With problems piling up and the government unable to help, many communities across the nation are turning inward for solutions. LESSON NINE: Lessons Learned Now that the crisis has stabilized, how do we go forward? How do we balance our desire for energy's benefits with the risks and costs of procuring it? LESSON TEN: Your World Without Oil Help out the World Without Oil team. Script and deliver your own citizen report that communicates what is happening to you in the crisis.

STUDENTS: LESSON THREE Life Is Starting to Change

Introduction

As the oil crisis continues, widespread changes are starting to occur. Resources that were getting expensive are now becoming unavailable. Airlines are cutting flights, outages are beginning at local gas stations, people are being laid off and stores are closing. The changes are occurring most rapidly and severely to those goods and services that depend the most on cheap oil.

Part 1: Set the Stage

1. Re-immerse yourself in the alternate reality: it's an oil crisis, there's not enough to go around.

2. View three short videos:

• Kal's "The Shortage Hits!"
• FallingIntoSin's "Store Forced To Close"
• Olympe's "Stranded In The Netherlands"

3. Read the following citizen reports about shortages:

• A town without water
• Going electric vs. "this isn't happening"
• We may outlive the net
• It's the little things
• Researching alternative fuels

Part 2: Take Action

Discussion questions:

• Do any of these shortages and outages hit home?
• Are they likely to affect you or your family? Why or why not?

Part 3: Lesson Activity

1. Review the economic concepts of scarcity and opportunity costs.

2. Create a chart on paper or on the computer with three columns: article title/topic, scarcity and opportunity cost.

3. Apply the concepts to some or all of the citizen reports from the first part of this lesson.

4. Share your group's findings.

5. Discussion questions:

• What choices will you have to make in the coming days?
• How might your choices impact others - locally and nationally?
• Are you looking out primarily for yourselves or the community as a whole?

Part 4: Reflection

Life is definitely changing for everyone in a World Without Oil. Today you should focus your reflections on what commodities might become more scarce and what choices you and your family will have to make as resources are depleted. Use the following questions to help guide your reflection:

• What items you use on a daily basis have become scarce? What changes do you have to make?
• How are you having to prioritize your needs and your wants? What are your feelings about giving things up? Do you feel you have alternatives?
• Are you worried about losing necessities such as food, water and power? Do you think other people are worried about losing these things?

Part 5: Take It Further

Now that we are starting to feel the impact of crisis, it is time to start making some real world changes. To take it further today, you are being challenged to take on one or more of the WWO Missions.

• First, consider the amount of plastics you use on a day-to-day basis. Try using a reusable water bottle instead of drinking bottled water or purchasing some reusable grocery bags as Fallingintosin suggests.
• If you are more ambitious, start compiling a list of things you can do without oil. Jason came up with a list from A-Z—can you match him?

Make sure to record your feat on your blog, using photographs, drawings or videos to help illustrate your accomplishment. Good luck!

Additional Resources

• The long fingers of petroleum
• Petroleum uses
• SF supes vote to ban plastic bags in stores

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