Insight and inspiration in turbulent times.
The unfolding crisis of industrial civilization has become a dumping ground for Utopian fantasies of a better world to come. Getting beyond these mythic formulations may be crucial to any meaningful response to the future opening up before us.
£110M plan to turn human and cow waste into electricity
Footpaths to generate electricity
BART paying more in bet on solar power
Of the 266 distinct nations or entities on the world today, nearly 100 are now reporting continuing energy shortages, mostly in the form of inadequate electricity supply, but in a growing number of cases, shortages of liquid fuels and natural gas.
Despite the clear evidence of rising depletion limits on Iranian oil production, Western media continues presenting Iran as having the third or fourth-largest oil reserves in the world. This implies oil export ‘underperformance’, repeating media claim’s of Iraqi oil reserves versus its pumping ‘performance’ in the run-up to invasion in 2003.
As tensions escalate between Iran and the West, Andrew McKillop presents a view on the prospects for conflict.
In the rush to develop renewable fuels from plants, converting crop residues into cellulosic ethanol would seem to be a slam dunk. However, the stems and leaves left over after crops are harvested may have more value if they’re left on the ground, according to a USDA-Washington State University soil scientist.
There are times in the history of our nation when our very way of life depends upon dispelling illusions and awakening to the challenge of a present danger. In such moments, we are called upon to move quickly and boldly to shake off complacency, throw aside old habits and rise, clear-eyed and alert, to the necessity of big changes. Those who, for whatever reason, refuse to do their part must either be persuaded to join the effort or asked to step aside. This is such a moment.
The future of the global economy will, in my opinion, turn more on this question than any other: Will demand destruction hit India and China, or will their oil consumption continue to rise? The answer here will determine much of how peak oil plays out.
I now believe that the hypothesis of a near or medium-term peak in the world’s oil supply is confirmed beyond any reasonable doubt. A shift in emphasis that speaks to reducing our demand for oil and examining alternatives to oil is now required. I will be taking that road in the future, leaving specific concerns about the oil supply behind.
