The fire next time is now: Environmental historian Angus Wright’s call for a planetary patriotism
Angus Wright has a way of saying things we may not want to hear in a way that’s hard to ignore.
Year: 2011
Fear and the three-day food supply
One of the scary factoids in circulation these days is the revelation that grocery stores hold only a three- or four-day supply of food. We’re only a few days from starvation, goes the frightening story, and we’re liable one day to find our supermarket shelves empty and the populace in panic. To accept this forecast uncritically, though, means ignoring how complex systems work. Here’s why storing more food in cities is not the right strategy for food security.
Open letter to the Occupy movement: why we need agreements
A mask and a lack of clear expectations create a perfect opening for those who do not have the best interests of the movement at heart, for agents and provocateurs who can never be held to account. As well, the fear of provocateurs itself sows suspicion and undercuts our ability to openly organize and grow.
A framework of strategic nonviolent direct action makes it easy to reject provocation. We know what we’ve agreed to—and anyone urging other courses of action can be reminded of those agreements or rejected. We hold one another accountable not by force or control, ours or the systems, but by the power of our united opinion and our willingness to stand behind, speak for, and act to defend our agreements.
Peak oil: the five most common misconceptions
As far as peak oil goes, most of us can agree that just as it did in the U.S. in 1970, global oil production will inevitably decline. The points of contention are the timing, the steepness of the decline, the impact on the global economy, and the ability of other energy sources to fill the supply gap. Some believe it will be a non-event, and some people believe it will be catastrophic.
I still believe in the Peak Lite scenario; in fact I think that view has been validated. I also believe that my view on the Long Recession is supported by the state of the economy as well as the continued strength in oil prices. As far as the consequences of peak oil, I believe that what we are seeing now with respect to the economy is a prelude to what we will see for the next few years
2011 ASPO-USA Conference: Day 1
I recently attended the ASPO-USA annual conference in Washington, DC. Overall, I found the presentations and discussion to be very engaging. The vibe this year had much less of a doomsday feel than last year and the topic of how best to tell an engaging Peak Oil story came up often. In the notes below I attempt to recap the sessions I attended with the caveat that these notes reflect primarily what I paid attention to. No attempt is made to be complete or unbiased in my coverage of the conference. I apologize in advance for any omissions or misrepresentations. In the next few weeks ASPO should make videos of the presentations available on aspo.tv.
Climate – Nov 8
-Wild weather worsening due to climate change, IPCC confirms
-Global carbon intensity on the rise for first time in a decade
-Map reveals stark divide in who caused climate change and who’s being hit
-The heat is on
-Health cost of 6 U.S. climate disasters: $14 billion
Saturday Oil Report — November 5, 2011
More evidence for the disconnect between Nymex (WTI) and Brent prices surfaced this week. Although the spread has narrowed, Nymex rose to $94.16/barrel, almost seven dollars more than it was two weeks ago in my as Saturday report. Brent came in at $112.55, only a few dollars higher than it was on October 22. The alarm level remains the same.
Peak oil review – November 7
A weekly roundup of peak oil events, including:
-Oil and the global economy
-The EU debt crisis
-Iran’s nuclear program
-China
-Quote of the week
-Briefs
Ricardo study suggests global oil demand may peak before 2020
A research study challenged the concept that “Peak Oil” will be a supply side phenomenon and predicts that the demand for oil may well peak before 2020 and then fall back to levels significantly below 2010 demand by 2035.
“The world is nearing a paradigm shift in oil demand,” said Peter Hughes of Ricardo. “The predominant role of oil in the global energy mix is facing an ever greater challenge from a number of emerging trends. Over the past few years a near ‘perfect storm’ for oil demand has been forming and gathering strength, created by a preoccupation in many quarters about the availability of future supplies.”
Presenting the economic policy of the cccupy movement
If there is one thing the Occupy Wall Street movement has generated, it’s the opinion that there is no unifying agenda or policy being advanced by the Occupiers. Perhaps that explains why we (CASSE) have been asked repeatedly to contribute to that agenda and identify that policy. And perhaps the time has come to oblige.
ASPO-Italy 5: beyond peak oil
Peak oil is behind us. That much seems to be clear from what was said at the 5th meeting of the Italian section of the Association for the study of peak oil (ASPO) held on Oct 28 in Florence, Italy.
Triple-Digit Oil Prices Block Growth & Investments Before “Petro-collapse”
Today’s show features two guests who were at last week’s Truth in Energy conference of the US chapter of ASPO, the Association for the Study of Peak Oil and Gas, in Washington, DC. Jeff Rubin, is former Chief Economist at the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce and the author of Why Your World is About to Get a Whole Lot Smaller. He explains why the price of oil the US media report is $25 too low, why today’s triple-digit oil prices show that the days of low unemployment and 3% economic growth are over, and warns that 30-year US Treasury bonds are not as safe an investment as many people think. Jan Lundberg went from being an oil-industry analyst at Lundberg Survey to a self-described “eco-warrior” fighting petroleum pollution, car culture and sprawl development. He writes at Culture Change and promotes sail transport of freight.
