“The Unplugged” – a speculative fiction

If you are willing to live as an Unplugger does, your cost to buy out is only around three months of wages for a factory worker, the price of a used car. You never need to “work” again, although there are plenty of life support activities to keep you busy, and a lot of basic research and science to do. Unplugging is not an off-the-shelf solution, it’s a research career!

Politics & economics – Feb 22

Ex-CIA director Woolsey on oil addiction and alternatives /
Good news: [natural] gas prices are up. Bad news: they’ll fall again /
Pain at the pump doesn’t faze new-car buyers /
Indian villages for sale /
Interview with Russian Minister of Industry and Energy Khristenko

Environment – Feb 22

Weak links could cause climatic catastrophe /
UK radiation jump blamed on Iraq shells /
Glaciers are our business /
Combating global warming makes economic sense /
Saving the Earth can bring profit to startups

Solutions & sustainability – Feb 22

San Francisco examines power of dog droppings /
Making compost of infected flocks may curb spread of bird flu /
UK & Japan: Achieving a low carbon society /
Amazonian terra preta soil can transform poor soil into fertile, reduce carbon /
States are already pushing to end our addiction to oil

Peak oil & other energy – Feb 22

Schlesinger on energy /
Petroecuador halts oil exports after pipeline shut / Norway firm plans world’s biggest wind park / Gusher of interest in grads who know oil /
Despite controversy, ethanol is in high demand, lifting farm fortunes

Politics & economics – Feb 21

Oil prices leap after Nigeria attacks hit output /
Official warns China to be cautious in relying on natural gas /
Chad’s oil riches, meant for poor, are diverted /
Venezuela plans cold shoulder for U.S. on natural gas

Peak Oil – Feb 21

Call for international submissions to Australian Senate Inquiry / Energy roundtable features Heinberg and Kunstler / Anti Economist League elaborates on EROEI / Polish peak oil sites

Sparrow returns

I could see that the future would bring change whether people were ready for it or not, but there would be enough of us working away on stuff behind the scenes. Enough so that as soon as the ax of need and desperation fell, we would be there to move things along…