The Power of Community

The video "Surviving Peak Oil" in Cuba revealed many interesting facts. The lack of fuel created a domino affect of problems. The oil shortage created transportation difficulties, distribution of food challenges and an indirect affect on low birth weight babies. The people of Cuba did not give up. In fact, they united and created a community of support through agriculture education, development, and farming.

One of Cuba's own tells the story of what really happen, "since the early 1990s, an urban agriculture movement has swept through Cuba, putting this capital city of 2.2 million on a path toward sustainability. A small group of Australians assisted in this grass-roots effort, coming to this Caribbean island nation in 1993 to teach permaculture, a system based on sustainable agriculture which uses far less energy. This need to bring agriculture into the city began with the fall of the Soviet Union and the loss of more than 50 percent of Cuba's oil imports, much of its food and 85 percent of its trade economy. Transportation halted, people went hungry and the average Cuban lost 30 pounds." In reality, America could soon face a similar situation if gas prices continue to rise. People will need to start cultivating vegetables wherever they can, again.

According to researchers, Cubans are also replacing petroleum-fed machinery with oxen, and their urban agriculture reduces food transportation distances. Today an estimated 50 percent of Havana's vegetables come from inside the city, while in other Cuban towns and cities urban gardens produce from 80 percent to more than 100 percent of what they need.

Surprisingly, farmers make a good living compared to other professionals like engineers. The video even showed other professionals quiting their careers to become farmers. Could this happen in the United States.