Jericho 12/19/2011
 
I've been watching the cancelled series Jericho on Netflix.  I think it catches my attention because of the similarities between a nuclear attack on this country and a peak oil world.  The infrastructure damage in a nuclear attack would obviously be much worse.  However, much of the current infrastructure  wouldn't even matter in a peak oil world.  

Jericho has so so many flaws.  I realize its a television series so there has to be crisis every episode and the characters are focusing on survival like they should.  

So what's my problem?  Agriculture, heating and cooking, food preservation, sustainability, and on and on.  Let's look at this a little more.

In one episode, corn worms threaten to destroy a corn crop.  The farmer's solution?  Pesticides of course.  I hope they know  that when they use what they have, they'll be finished.  There probably won't be any more pesticides for a long time.

Heating and cooking...  The homes with propane or natural gas might last a little while but those with electric ranges are in trouble.  Likewise for heating.  These people need to start collecting firewood, downsizing their homes, individuals and small families need to move in together to make heating in the winter more efficient.  Ideally, they should retrofit the best homes with whatever wood stoves are available.  

In another episode, the town picks countless acres of corn to save it from ear worms (since they opted not to use pesticide).  That's great if they plan on eating it all at once.  Otherwise, I hope they either dried it all or canned it.  

Finally, what do I mean by sustainability?  Its the sum total of all of these issues.  Most of the town wants to live at the bar instead of preparing for a future without all of our modern luxuries.  

I wish that the series hadn't been cancelled. Despite the fact that it was, there's still a lot of lessons to learn from it.  Jericho was a lesson in what to do when the world falls apart.  
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