Review: The Power of Community: How Cuba Survived Peak Oil

Review from GBSAN member, Deb.

I have just watched a most inspirational video which I’m certain many of the members will enjoy as well It is called ‘The Power of Community: How Cuba Survived Peak Oil’ (2006).

 When U.S.S.R collapsed 1990 Cuba lost its support over-night. Imports of oil were cut by more than half and food by 80 percent.

To compound the situation U.S.A. placed an embargo on ships bringing goods into Cuban ports.  (If a ship did bring aid etc.  into Cuba they would then not be permitted to enter a U.S. port for at least 6 months). Later U.S. stopped all businesses that had financial interests in Cuba from operating in the U.S. which pulled further financial support from the country in crisis.

 So, Cuba lacked food, fuel, fertilizer and pesticides amongst other things. 

This film shows how the government imported over a million simple pushbikes from China and then tooled up and manufactured 500,000 more to distribute to the population for transportation. Due to lack of fuel the only other options were walking or waiting long periods for the few buses still operating which may be full by the time they arrived.

The government, also when this ‘special period’ began, provided a food distribution card and subsidized work meals.

In 1993 2 Australian permaculture practicians introduced Cuba to organic farming and trained trainers in farming without chemicals. These trainers then trained other trainers and students and so the knowledge spread. This train the trainer program continues to this day.

Idle plots of urban land were given over to the populace to grow food.  Farms were smaller than before. Others grew food on roof tops and patios. All this allowed food to be produced locally and reduced transport miles.

Older farmers were paid to train new farmers in the use of horses, mules and oxen for ploughing and other farm chores.

Soil was bought back to life (micro flora and fauna).

Universities, schools and hospitals etc. were decentralised and numbers increased markedly to make them more accessible.

Solar panels were provided for school, universities, hospitals etc.

 Some of the improvements seen in Cuba have been that the population is now healthier as they walk and cycle rather than drive – diabetes reduced, obesity reduced.

Their food is organic, the soil life has improved. They are energy independent.

Also with more accessible schools and universities Cuba produces 11 % of latin America’s scientists although it has only 2 percent of the population.

 In many ways,  the adversities of the ‘special period’ have made Cuba more resilient and much less reliant on fossil fuels, imports, and interference from others. Bravo.