Staff

The thermodynamic economy

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It’s hardly news that economists these days spend more of their time explaining away their mistakes than providing useful guidance to policy makers and the public. Behind the failure of contemporary economics lies a poorly understood reality: the mismatch between today’s economic ideas and the laws governing the natural systems that support the human economy.

Transition communities gear up for society’s collapse with a shovel and a smile

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Localized efforts have sprouted from the ground up in Santa Cruz, Cotati, Sebastopol, San Francisco and many other towns worldwide, where residents and neighbors are putting their heads together and collaborating on ways to relocalize themselves, bolster self-sufficiency and build the resilience that communities will need to absorb the shock of peak oil.

Growing a better world

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Growth can take as many constructive paths as destructive ones. A shorter work week, less private and more public consumption in health, education, pensions and infrastructure, more economic equality can be part of growth and no-growth paths alike. Stopping growth will require at least as radical a change as channeling it in the right direction. Channeling it may well be the more constructive choice.

More choices at garden farm markets

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Shoppers just now discovering the allure of open air fresh food markets in towns and cities should be aware of new developments. Not only is there an increasing number of different fruits and vegetables being offered, but also meats, dairy products, even fresh fish— all from small garden farms.

Interview with Charlie Maxwell (Part 1 of 2)

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“What struck me the most, as a surprise, is the virulence in the downtrend in the world economy. That’s a negative for the peak oil story, but only a temporary negative. By crushing demand, we are in effect gaining two more years, maybe three, in which we in the consuming world have added to our time before the peak, and could take good advantage of, since the peak is right upon us-I have it still at 2015 for all liquids.” (Charlie Maxwell is the life-long oil industry analyst viewed by Barrons’ magazine as their energy guru.)