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Power: Introduction
Power: Introduction This is an excerpt from Power: Limits and Prospects for Human Survival (2021) by Richard Heinberg; posted with permission from New Society Publishers. Read more in this series. One might think that everything that could possibly be written on the subject of power already has been. There are thousands of tomes that discuss subjects related to power […]
Social Cohesion Is Vital, and We’re Losing It
An American flag in front of a damaged school area in Dayton, Ohio on May 28, 2019. (Photo: Seth Herald/AFP via Getty Images) Social Cohesion Is Vital, and We’re Losing It As with climate change, inequality, and our other collective problems, solutions will entail confronting and reining in power—whether the power of wealth, of outsized […]
Richard Heinberg: Post-doom with Michael Dowd
Richard Heinberg: Post-doom with Michael Dowd
Introduction to Power by Richard Heinberg
Introduction to Power by Richard Heinberg Richard Heinberg’s latest title, Power is an exploration of humanity’s power over nature and the power of some people over others. Power traces how four key elements developed to give humans extraordinary power: tool making ability, language, social complexity, and the ability to harness energy sources — most significantly, fossil fuels. Today, we […]
Here’s the Fracking Truth About America’s Last Fossil-Fueled Hurrah
Here’s the Fracking Truth About America’s Last Fossil-Fueled Hurrah In order to recover the abundance of these fuels that the EIA claims will be there for the taking, between now and 2050 the industry will need to drill something on the order of 700,000 new wells at a total cost of over $5 trillion. As […]
How Much of the Worsening Energy Crisis is Due to Depletion?
How Much of the Worsening Energy Crisis is Due to Depletion?
The End of Growth: ten years after
The End of Growth: ten years after Fifty years ago the authors of the groundbreaking book The Limits to Growth showed that, in any of a series of computer-generated scenarios, world economic growth would end sometime during the 21st century. Using simple math and logic, they pointed out that growth in any material input or output cannot continue […]
How Much of the Worsening Energy Crisis Is Due to Depletion?
How Much of the Worsening Energy Crisis Is Due to Depletion? If society attempts to maintain current levels of energy services throughout the transition, the result will be a spike in both energy usage and carbon emissions. Coal and natural gas spot prices have recently soared to record levels internationally, while oil is trading at over […]
Evolution and Climate Change Through the Lens of Power
Evolution and Climate Change Through the Lens of Power During the last century, evolutionary biologists developed the idea that power (defined as the rate of energy transfer) is key to the survival and success of species. This notion was formalized as the maximum power principle, which biologist John DeLong has explained as follows: “biological systems organize […]
Richard Heinberg’s POWER: Limits and Prospects for Human Survival
Richard Heinberg’s POWER: Limits and Prospects for Human Survival If you know Richard Heinberg for his many previous writings on energy, you may initially assume that the title of his latest book refers to power strictly in its physics sense. But as you begin reading, it becomes apparent that he’s using a vastly broader definition […]
Richard Heinberg explores the flawed thinking behind proposed solutions to climate change
Richard Heinberg explores the flawed thinking behind proposed solutions to climate change He explains why real climate progress will require large numbers of people in wealthy countries to forgo forms of power they currently enjoy. — ***** “power — the ability to do something, the ability to get someone else to do something, or the ability […]
Too Much Power
Too Much Power If we modern humans are, in effect, addicted to power, perhaps we need something like a collective twelve-step program. This article, the third in a series, is based on the author’s forthcoming book, POWER: LIMITS AND PROSPECTS FOR HUMAN SURVIVAL. You can read the first article in the series here, and the second here. […]
The Most Colossal Planning Failure in Human History
The Most Colossal Planning Failure in Human History A couple of days ago I happened to pick up an old book gathering dust on one of my office shelves—Palmer Putnam’s Energy in the Future, published in 1953. Here was a time capsule of energy concerns from nearly a lifetime ago—and it got me to thinking along the […]
Heinberg on what to do at home
Heinberg on what to do at home Preface. A quick summary: Best investment: insulate exterior walls, ceiling, and floors for energy savings. Other good changes were to plant a garden and fruit-and-nut orchard, and buy solar hot water heater, solar food dryer, solar cooker, chickens, energy-efficient appliances Lessons learned: It is expensive, especially energy storage. […]
On a finite planet, maintaining endless economic growth is not a viable option
On a finite planet, maintaining endless economic growth is not a viable option Cooperative conservatism could help to get us off growth with minimum pain and maximum gain, says Richard Heinberg. — Richard Heinberg “Both the U.S. economy and the global economy have expanded dramatically in the past century, as have life expectancies and material progress. […]
