If you think that industrial society will seamlessly transition from fossil fuels as they deplete to another, equally rich form of energy then try this essay by Richard Heinberg.
For the non-peak oilers amongst you, Heinberg is the author of several peak oil books, including The Party’s Over, Powerdown, The Oil Depletion Protocol and Peak Everything.
Even as Heinberg writes this stuff, he admits (elsewhere) that he doesn’t see humanity’s future as being all that rosy.
Neither do I. Consider this:
We knew right from the start of the fossil fuel age that fossil fuels were finite and non-renewable. Yet we went ahead anyway and built a whole way of life dependent on them.
We were told, over a hundred years ago (by the Swedish chemist Arrhenius), that if we continued to burn fossil fuels we would increase carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere and heat the planet. Yet we went ahead and did it anyway.
I can’t believe that an organism that is so lacking in wisdom (and seemingly intelligence, but that’s another story) is going to turn things around in the short time available and follow Heinberg’s suggested scenario to move out of the mire and into an acceptable quality of life for all.
I’m preparing for turbulent times ahead.
Foodnstuff 
March 23, 2009 at 3:08 am |
I wish I could disagree with you but everything I see says people are gunna party until the booze (oil/energy) runs out.
I am doing my best to build resilient communities not because I think that I can ease the transition into a lower energy world. The western world in it’s righteous entitlement is going to kick and scream it’s way down breaking everything within it’s reach. I am doing it because I don’t want to be killed by Mum & Dad up the road, looking for food, so they can pillage my gardens . I am doing my best to make sure that as many people in my community realise growing your own is a viable option.. because for every one that knows that growing their own is possible that is one more person out there that just might pick up a spade to dig rather than use it as a offensive weapon.
Kind Regards
Belinda
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March 23, 2009 at 4:56 am |
Hi Belinda,
Yes, well said. The only thing we can do to save ourselves is help other people save themselves.
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