Author archives

The liberal international order is slowly coming apart. Its collapse could be sudden and irreversible…

“The liberal international order is slowly coming apart. Its collapse could be sudden and irreversible… “For years the order that has governed the global economy since the second world war has been eroded. Today it is close to collapse. A worrying number of triggers could set off a descent into anarchy…” https://www.economist.com/leaders/2024/05/09/the-liberal-international-order-is-slowly-coming-apart

UK Biochar Research Centre

https://www.biochar.ac.uk What is Biochar? Copied from the Reseach Centre’s website: Heating biomass in a zero-oxygen environment to temperatures of 250°C or greater yields energy-rich gases and liquids, and a solid charcoal, or char. When this char has been produced specifically to have beneficial effects – for example as a soil improver or to store carbon – we call this …

Why were roads, schools, hospitals, and now new houses only built to last for 20 years?

Why were roads, schools, hospitals, and now new houses only built to last for 20 years? I wonder if a characteristic of the last years of the industrial era was to avoid long-term thinking and planning. These were not conscious decisions but a consequence of how the economy evolved in response to borrowing from the …

Navigating the Transition: Embracing Localism for a Brighter Future

In the dynamic landscape of modern society, amidst constant crises, the prospect of a beacon of hope shines – a future grounded in localism and individual empowerment. A vision which will challenge norms, urging a re-examination of assumptions and a reimagination of possibilities. My book “How to Find Our Way into the Future,”outlines how the …

This Earth Day: By Richard Heinberg

This Earth Day, I find myself thinking about Star Trek. And not in a good way.When I was a teenager I watched episodes of Gene Roddenberry’s classic original TV series multiple times—on original broadcast, reruns, and video rentals. I thought it was a little cheesy, but entertaining and, at its best, thought-provoking. When, in 2021, …

Do discretionary and essential spending and markets apply to localism?

Question: Will the concepts of discretionary and essential spending and markets apply in localism when the economy is based on families and extended families? ChatGPT Yes, even in a localism-based economy centred around families and extended families, the concepts of discretionary and essential spending and markets would still apply. Here’s how: Discretionary and Essential Spending: …

Banks Unwilling To Finance $5 Trillion Global Nuclear Development

https://oilprice.com/Alternative-Energy/Nuclear-Power/Banks-Unwilling-To-Finance-5-Trillion-Global-Nuclear-Development.html “The project risks, as we have seen in reality, seem to be very high,” said European Investment Bank Vice President Thomas Ostros, adding that countries need to focus more on renewables and energy efficiency. Ines Rocha, a director at the European Bank of Reconstruction and Development, and Fernando Cubillos, a banker at the Development …

Thinking about the future

When thinking about the future, the following facts have to be taken into account: The climate is changing and will continue to do so. Fossil fuels and derivatives will become increasingly expensive and unaffordable. The UK economy is shrinking and will continue to do so indefinitely. As a result: Prosperity is declining. Discretionary spending and …

We Need a Plan for the Transition to Renewable Energy

By David Fridley, Richard Heinberg, originally published by Independent Media Institute March 15, 2024 Radical societal transformation is inevitable; a plan could make a difference between catastrophe and progress. Introduction The transition to renewable energy is inevitable given the current climate crisis and the fact that fossil fuels are a finite resource. To make the …

The Effects of Increasing Diesel Prices may be the Next Black Swan

ChatGPT can be very useful in providing information about something about which I have a glimmer of knowledge. I was thinking about the massive role that diesel fuel plays in the economy. It enables stuff to be moved, large and small, near and far, especially home deliveries to country homes such as where we live. …

By Steve Carrow: What would a wise community do?

Copied from un-Denial unmasking denial: creator and destroyer My premise is that at the global, nation-state, or even state level, the current hierarchical system is not capable of climbing down from overshoot, or anticipating and preparing for a lower energy, lower consumption future. Any efforts to prepare must be done at the personal, and then …

The Heart of Localism: Community Care

In a community, the care home should be a vital thread, weaving connections that bind neighbours, families, and individuals into a resilient fabric of support and compassion. At its core, localism will find a poignant expression within care homes, where relatives, neighbours, and residents come together in a shared journey of care and belonging. Localist …

Maine Family Lives Without Cars, Electricity and Money

Minimisation Is The New Denial: Climate scientists and the false hope of net-zero

Copied from Jackson’s Substack Jackson’s Substack is recommended to readers of Seeing your future from the grassroots I am a climate advocate and psychotherapist. I provide a psychological perspective on the collective madness that creates dangerous climate change and what can be done to provoke us all into meaningful action at last. Jackson Damian Mar …

Energy Skeptic

A WordPress site with hundreds of interesting links. https://energyskeptic.com/