Insight and inspiration in turbulent times.
Complexity theory argues that simple, complicated, complex and chaotic systems have fundamentally different properties, and therefore different approaches and processes are needed when dealing with issues and challenges in each of these types of systems.
Reports on talks by Jim Baldauf, Chris Skrebowski, Jeremy Gilbert, Dr. James Schlesinger, Roger Bezdek, Arthur Berman and Charles Maxwell.
The economy is very much a physical process that requires energy to continue operating. All of the money in the world will not suffice to maintain the motivation of the wheels of industry unless it can be used to exchange for energy flow. Here is a guide regarding how the real wealth of nations is created and a more concise look at the nature of energy flow needed to do so.
Keynote talks by Nicole Foss (Stoneleigh of The Automatic Earth), Dr. Joe Tainter (author of “The Collapse of Complex Societies), Steve Keen (author of “Debunking Economics” and winner of the Revere Award), Richard Douthwaite (author of “The Ecology of Money”, David Korowicz (director for the Risk/Resilience Network), Chris Bedford (president of the Center for Economic Security), and Aaron Wissner (president of Local Future).
“Peak Shrink” psychologist Kathy McMahon makes a contribution to Honda’s “Racing Against Time” thought leadership series. Her blog was selected to provide a unique perspective on how we should approach the discussion of oil as a finite energy source.
– “How to Boil a Frog” – new online interviews; showings in Santa Monica Oct 8-10
– Peak Shrink blogs on peak oil tonight for Honda (NOW ONLINE)
– Dispatches from The Earth Blog: free downloadable mini-book
– Guy McPherson presentiations available online (fossil fuel, bioenergy)
– Online seminars from Imperial College, Longdon: future energy options
I’ve been a clinical psychologist for the past 22 years, have worked in a variety of settings, and with people of different ages and a variety of presenting problems, but nothing in my professional background prepared me emotionally to wrap my head around Peak Oil. Four and a half years ago, I began a research project to figure out what is a “normal” reaction to learning about Peak Oil, and this essay is a summary of what I’ve learned.
Articles that we thought were significant this month.
When officials gather for an international summit on biodiversity next month, they might look to remind the world why species matter to humans: for producing oxygen, finding new drugs, making agricultural crops more productive, and something far less tangible — a sense of wonder.
We in rich contries have almost lost the ability to supply our own needs through local manufacturing and agriculture–or even to extend the life of products through reuse, repair and repurposing. We rely on others, and on a system lubricated by cheap oil, to meet our needs as well as our wants.
What could Life After Oil possibly be like for our local area? That’s the question nearly 50 people in Los Angeles studied this past weekend at a one-day mini-conference hosted by Transition Los Angeles.
The recent leak of a German military report on peak oil has generated much interest among peak oil analysts. This review examines the Bundeswehr report in the context of other publicly-available military analyses of peak oil and concludes that the new German report is highly significant for several reasons.
