Transcript www.eigenauer.com

Cuba – a Peak Oil Country
Presented
by
Pat Murphy,
Executive Director,
The Community Solution
A Program of Community Service, Inc.
Yellow Springs, OH 45387
Why Study Cuba?

Cuba is unique in the world in experiencing rapid oil depletion


Cuba is unique in changing from an industrial to an agrarian
society



Oil usage reduced over 50% in less than a year!
Cuba is successfully turning back the clock.
Cuba per capita energy usage – 1/15 of US per capita
Cuba is building an “agrarian” culture – “modernized
peasantry”



Focusing on building human resources rather than
physical ones
Emphasizing biotechnology – not genetic engineering
2% of Latin America population, 11% of scientists
The Cuban Hypothesis – Key Points



Does Cuba represent a model for post oil?
 In the Third World?
 In the First World?
 Both?
Does Cuba practice a unique set of “community” values?
 Can a post oil world exist with current world values?
Is Cuba decentralizing/localizing?
Cuban History 1990 – Present

Soviet personnel left Cuba in 1991 – Soviet Union disbanded
 Ended economic subsidies worth $6 billion annually.
 GDP down 85% Oil usage down over 50%
 Population lost weight (20 lb) – 30% per capita calorie decline
 Major decrease in standard of living

US increased efforts to undermine the regime
 Mack Amendment (1990)
 Trotecilli bill (1992)
 Helms Burton Act (1996)

Cuba continued historical emphasis on social needs
 Medical care – education – culture
The Special Period – After Oil Loss

Dramatic responses – do or die efforts

De–collectivized agriculture – allowed private food production

Changed from industrial to organic agriculture using oxen

Allowed US dollar transactions (1993)

Developed tourist industry

Solicited remittances from Cubans outside Cuba

Cut back on everything – abandoned Soviet industrial model
2003 Status

Economy now growing at a slow rate

Food production almost up to 90% of pre crisis period
 Energy usage much lower than pre crisis period

Very few new housing developments
 High energy cost cement, steel is in short supply

Transportation is often improvised
 Vehicles are often shared

Medical care and education above pre crisis levels
 Educational standard class size is now 15 students
2003 Statistics: US and Cuba comparison






US lifespan: 77.4 years
Cube lifespan: 77.0 years
US mortality: 6.63/1000
Cuba mortality: 6.45/1000
US per capita income: $37,800
Cuba per capita income: $2,800

US new housing size: 2400 sq. ft. ~600 per capita
Cuba new housing size: 700 sq. ft. ~135 per person

4:1 US to Cuba ratio sq. ft. per person

Cuban Food

Involuntary vegetarianism – always more energy efficient
 Meat eating went from twice a day to twice a week

Increased vegetable and starch consumption
 Decreased wheat and rice production
 Increased vegetable sources of protein – decreased meat

Urban gardens developed throughout cities


Rural areas developed – particularly health and education
 Many people left Havana for the country
 Wages raised for farmers
Cubans have one of the healthiest diets in the world
Crops Inside Screen Greenhouses


Various screen sizes used to filter sun
Allows more varieties of crops
Raised Beds Everywhere

Designed for hand labor
Small Business Food Producers

A local farm
The Modernized Peasant

This man earns more than an engineer
Raised Beds Near Protected Crop

Crops for hotels raised in screened area and fertilized
From Machine to Animal Traction

Rediscovering what was effective in the past
Oxen Replacing Tractors

The farmer may have gone to agricultural college
Cuban Transportation

Every means possible – dump trucks, buses, bikes, mules,
bicycles

Vehicles heavily utilized - Occupants per trip: US 1.2, Cuba 5-6

Hitchhikers

Empty vehicles commandeered by “highway patrol”

Very light road usage – high person per vehicle ratio

Cars not a right – privilege awarded for performance

Inconvenient but very efficient relative to energy usage
The Camel – 300 Passengers

Cuba mass transportation
Provincial Version of Camel

Each of these units looks different - innovation
Varied Forms of Transportation

Horse drawn units like this have taxi licenses
Using Cars as Buses

Old American cars – typically 6-8 passengers
Mercedes to Pedal Power
Innovation under Fire

Mass transport appeared immediately using existing vehicles

No need for light rail or subways or new vehicles

A social transportation revolution, not a technical one

Works when people cooperate rather than compete
Medical System

Free medical care

Lower infant mortality rate than US

Same life span as US

More doctors per capital then US

Much more effort on prevention

Doctors live in the neighborhoods they serve
A Local Clinic



“This is a vocation – not a business”
Cuban Doctors earn 2-3 times average person
U.S. Doctors earn 5-8 times average person
Summary – Material Life

Cuba has best health care, education, and food, in third world



It is a model for 82% of the people in the world
Equal to US in life expectancy and literacy – lower infant
mortality
Superior social programs to US


Free medical care and free education
Social security – men retire at 60, women at 55

Food supply healthy and adequate – but not plentiful or rich

Fewer material goods – cars, houses, furniture, electronics
Cuba Summary

Cuba has limited high sulfur oil supply

Food system now a sustainable one – and the key to health

No plans for high tech “alternative energy” – solar/wind farms
 “We can’t afford that stuff” – Havana economist
 Developing small solar and wind systems

Development plan
 Optimize human resources – medical, education, culture
 Pursue intermediate technology – not high technology

Creating a socialist agrarian society

A model for a “renewable third world”