Politics and Economics – Jan 20

Russia Rations Electricity / Italy hit by Russian gas shortage / Castro Announces Major Overhaul & decentralisation of Cuba’s Electrical Grid / Oil-Stung Caribbean Looks at Energy Alternatives / Real wages continue to decline / Forget Cheaper Oil in 2006? / BHP swaps oil rights for shonky debt in Iraq oil for food scam

Other Energy – Jan 20

New study raises questions about sustainability of metal resources / A New Old Way to Make Diesel / U.S. Will Decode Soybean DNA to Ramp Up Biodiesel Production / Waste incineration ‘set to rise’ in UK / Community members speak out on oil shale

Peak Oil – Jan 20

Thomas Friedman: Green is the new red, white and blue / Carbon the currency in a world of energy shortage / WELL meets TheOilDrum / Peak Oil: aids, addiction and opportune infections / Peak America – Is Our Time Up? / On Keeping Warm / Review of “Children of the Sun”

Politics and Economics – Jan 18

Iran issues stark warning on oil price / Russia reports $300 million net inflow / UK Union pushes clean coal and nuclear / Food as commodity / A Gas Gobbler That’s Worth Keeping / Rocky road for auto companies / Interview with oil tycoon T. Boone Pickens / Limit fertilizer to control costs, farmers urged

Other Energy – Jan 17

Doubts over ‘clean’ nuke power / Corn farmers smile at ethanol prices / Startup hopes to tap electricity from trees / Natural gas: the next energy crisis? / Canada, the US, and the Tar Sands / Power companies predict return of coal [2]

Adapting zones and sectors for the city

Proposed solutions are often so big and general that we feel helpless. What can one person do about the Kyoto protocol? Permaculture brings a unique emphasis on what can be done by individuals and small groups, fostering a sense of empowerment. This article describes how a classic permaculture technique — zone and sector analysis — can be adapted to deal with peak oil and climate change.