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Today’s Contemplation: Collapse Cometh XVII–‘Renewables’ and the Overton Window That Ignores Biophysical Realities
Today’s Contemplation: Collapse Cometh XVII June 1, 2021 Teotihuacan, Mexico (1986) Photo by author ‘Renewables’ and the Overton Window That Ignores Biophysical Realities ‘Renewables’. They will save us! This is one of the most common beliefs being bandied about by the ruling class and especially those that stand to profit from a shift to them in […]
Today’s Contemplation: Collapse Cometh XII–Growth Greenwashing: A Comforting Narrative
Today’s Contemplation: Collapse Cometh XII Teotihuacan, Mexico (1986) Photo by author Growth Greenwashing: A Comforting Narrative My comment on an article regarding the cessation of a provincial programme for municipalities in British Columbia meant to support and fund climate change initiatives. Not sure what the situation is like in BC surrounding provincial mandates and municipalities, but […]
Scorching climate records call for real solutions
Scorching climate records call for real solutions Renewable energy, energy efficiency and conservation offer numerous advantages over fossil fuels beyond climate benefits. As the world breaks heat records, our biggest roadblock is fossil fuel companies, and their influence. Credit: Chris LeBoutillier / Unsplash On July 6, the world’s average temperature was the hottest ever recorded, at 17.23 C. […]
Renewables: Plug & Pray?
Renewables: Plug & Pray? Photo by American Public Power Association on Unsplash We are made to believe by PR articles and mainstream media pundits that “renewables” are just plug and play. Like computer screens. That all we need to do is to shut down old fossil fuel power plants and replace them with wind and solar. We are […]
A Mirage of Abundance
A Mirage of Abundance Mirage. Image source “Truth is like poetry. And most people fucking hate poetry.” Adam McKay, The Big Short — We will never run out of minerals, or petroleum for that matter. There is an ample amount of these resources in Earth’s crust, actually more than we could ever extract. — Phew! Are […]
What If There Are No Politically Feasible Answers?
What If There Are No Politically Feasible Answers? Political Realism vs Ecological Realism At times, we are confronted with choices that demand us to pick between two undesirable alternatives, often known as a dilemma. The annals of history are brimming with such instances. When Hitler ascended to power in Germany and commenced his invasions across […]
Opposition to mining will prevent a green transition to renewables
Opposition to mining will prevent a green transition to renewables Source: Bare (2012) Environmentalists win review of two more plants near Rosemont copper mine. Arizona Capitol times. I could overwhelm you with world-wide trillions of tons of mining waste and how China has rendered 20% of its farmland too toxic to grow crops (BBC 2014), but […]
Our Predicament Re-stated
Our Predicament Re-stated There is a meme doing the rounds on social media… a picture of a vegetable patch, captioned “the time is coming when only those who know how to grow food will survive.” The idea being that, as our complex civilisation breaks down, we will be forced to return to a far simpler […]
Exxon CEO Warns Overemphasis On Renewables Could Backfire
Exxon CEO Warns Overemphasis On Renewables Could Backfire Exxon Mobil Corp. (NYSE:XOM) CEO Darren Woods has urged companies to stop focusing on certain energy sources, such as renewable energy, to save the climate, warning that it would be a “huge mistake to be picking winners and losers and focusing on specific technologies”. Instead, “we need to look more […]
Stable Electricity: A Long Slow Goodbye
Stable Electricity: A Long Slow Goodbye Photo by Dan Meyers on Unsplash Electricity shortages are looming for the UK and Europe, and then later for the rest of the overdeveloped world as well. Blackouts will become common, and you will get power only for a couple of hours a day — just like in countries with a less favorable economic […]
The Weakening Electric Grid: Less Reliable, More Fragile
The Weakening Electric Grid: Less Reliable, More Fragile California Independent System Operator announced a statewide electricity Flex Alert urging conservation to avoid blackouts in El Segundo, Calif., on Aug. 31, 2022. (Photo by Patrick T. Fallon/AFP via Getty Images) As more and more irritated customers become certain that power shortages and blackouts have become more […]
The End of the Oil Age Gets Postponed Again. Really?
The End of the Oil Age Gets Postponed Again. Really? Photo by Diyar Al Maamouri on Unsplash It looks like we have to wait a little more to see the end of the oil age. Our desire to burn more and more stuff knows no limits — at least not when talking about the foreseeable future. Statements like “oil will […]
A realistic ‘energy transition’ is to get better at using less of it
A realistic ‘energy transition’ is to get better at using less of it Image via Shutterstock. In 2022, I authored two articles expressing doubts about society’s transition from fossil fuels to renewable solar and wind power. In this final article in the series, I’ll explain why my conclusions are based on experience as well as analysis. My […]
Ramping up wind turbines, solar panels and electric vehicles can’t solve our energy problem
Ramping up wind turbines, solar panels and electric vehicles can’t solve our energy problem Many people believe that installing more wind turbines and solar panels and manufacturing more electric vehicles can solve our energy problem, but I don’t agree with them. These devices, plus the batteries, charging stations, transmission lines and many other structures necessary […]
