Staff

Review of RAND study, Imported Oil and US National Security (May, 2009)

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RAND Corporation has brought its considerable expertise to bear on the national security implications of US oil import dependence…While this study examines this issue solely from an American perspective, many of its observations are applicable to other import-dependent nations. Although there is much of value in this report, I wish to challenge its central recommendation on how government should deal with price spikes and physical shortages.

A Day in the Life – Part 1

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In June, we wake up at 5 am when the sun rises. It’s important to get our outside work done before the heat of the day. Since we can’t afford A/C, we try to take siestas, or at least not move much, from 11 to 3. The ceiling fans help, and we’ve found that our bodies are getting used to the absence of climate control. I’ve seen a lot of lovely sunrises in the past few years from getting up at the crack of dawn.

To plan for emergency, or not? Heinberg and Hopkins debate

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At the Transition Network conference, Richard Heinberg gave an online presentation looking at the concept of Emergency Planning for Communities … For a while now, Richard and I have been discussing the tension between longer term planning for resilience and the more immediate and pressing responses demanded by sudden and rapid change. It is still an ongoing discussion, but … What follows is the series of email exchanges we have had since late last year.

Freezing…and why not to

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Freezers are vulnerable to either localized (and by localized this can be as local as “my husband accidentally kicked the cord out and we didn’t notice until it was too late) or widespread power outages. The reality is that if you keep food in your freezer, sooner or later, you will probably have an extended power outage.