Editor's picks: September 2010
Bart's Picks:
Exclusive interview: Robert Hirsch
French journalist Matthieu Auzanneau does it again, in this long-ish interview with the co-author of the famous Hirsch Report on peak oil. Robert Hirsch reveals behind-the-scenes pressure within the government to avoid dealing with peak oil. Be sure to read the original posts at the Le Monde blog to get the full story. Hirsch did another good interview with Steve Andrews of ASPO-USA.
Putting the Bundeswehr report in context
EB analyzt Rick Munroe summarizes the recently released 99-page report on peak oil from a German military think tank. He concludes that it covers signifantly more territory than previous reports:
Their study is carefully worded, thoroughly referenced and clearly identifies the vulnerabilities. Their intended audience was almost certainly their military superiors, who would then have decided in what form (if at all) this information would be made available to civilian authorities and the German public.See also: German military study warns of a potentially drastic oil crisis" and English translation of main points
There's been a lot of talk about action at the federal/global level, as well as at the local level (e.g. Transition). Missing is consideration of the intermediate scale. This article looks at the prospects of adapting the existing Canadian auto industry for a post-peak future. The proposal is to re-tool for the production of steel-frame bicycles, something that may appear premature now ... but now is the time to start thinking about such projects. Also a fun read for us bicycle addicts.
Kristin's Picks:
Stories from the mountaintop
My favorite post from a multi-part reflection sparked by Rob Hopkin's reaction to John Michael Greer's green wizard project. Erik's article raises an important point about how our underlying cultural "stories" frame our attitudes, responses to others, and belief systems. In the case of Hopkins and Greer, the contrasting cultural stories are much more nuanced and ultimately, as all involved in the exchange have pointed out, not exclusionary.
Related articles on EB and off are here and here (fifth paragraph down).
Lines of defence (I): The thin brown line
A thoughtful essay about environmental damage and what can't be regained, no matter how much "cleanup" we do. Some things can't be fixed.
In Scotland’s search for roots, A push to restore wild land
An avid reader of history, I mourned Scotland's losses long before I visited its haunted landscapes. Some things can't be fixed but they can be atoned for. And something new and wonderful can come out of it at the same time.
A meditation on Meat: a benign extravagance - Sept 9
And me being be, I couldn't not highlight a topic where I get to waffle on about a new and informative book that raises important questions about formerly received wisdom in the food and agriculture arena.
