Since World War II, North Americans have invested most of their newfound wealth in the suburbs. It promises space, affordability, family life and upward mobility. As the suburban population has exploded over the past 50 years, the suburban lifestyle has become deeply ingrained in the American consciousness.
The suburbs and all that they promise have become the American dream. But in the early 2000s, serious questions are emerging about the sustainability of this way of life. With brutal honesty and irony, Suburbia’s End explores the American way of life and its prospects as the planet approaches a critical era when global demand for fossil fuels begins to outstrip supply. The World Oil Summit and the inevitable demise of fossil fuels are near, some scientists and policymakers argue in this documentary.
The consequences of inaction in the face of this global crisis are enormous. What does peak oil mean for North America? With energy prices skyrocketing in the coming years, how will suburbanites cope with the shattering of their dreams? Are today’s suburbs destined to become tomorrow’s slums? What can be done individually and collectively now to avoid the end of suburbia?
