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The 2013 in and out list

By January 7, 2013
bacon tee

The end of 2012 brought with it a rash of the same-old same-old "In and Out" lists issued by the lamestream media and their corporate overlords. To wit, the annual Washington Post "List," this time tarted up by putting two newbies at the helm to give it some so-called edge. Bwa-ha ha! It still stunk of too much product placement, too many contract obligations, and a crap load of deference to the corporocratic taste makers; which reminds us — oxymorons are in! So we're back again with … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Arts Tagged With: , , , , ,

Visual guide to the cost of growth. Review: ENERGY

By December 14, 2012
noplace

They say a picture is worth a thousand words. With that in mind, the 195 color, mostly full page — often double page — photographs in the Post Carbon Institute's* latest book, ENERGY: Overdevelopment and the Delusion of Endless Growth, speaks volumes beyond its gigantic sized pages about the energy and environmental predicament humanity is immersed in today. But while the book is heavy on blunt and unforgiving photographs, it also boasts a series of probing essays from such peak oil … [Read more...]

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Top 10 peak oil books of 2011

By December 12, 2011
open book on stack of books

Welcome to our second annual list of the top ten peak oil books. Most of them are explicitly about peak oil, while others deal with energy depletion as a significant factor in the economy or the environment. A couple titles focus on responses to the myriad conundrums that Richard Heinberg has dubbed "peak everything" and that are now converging to create a perfect storm for global industrial civilization. Along with Heinberg, we list books by peak oil stalwarts John Michael Greer and Dmitry … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Transition Tagged With: , , , , , ,

What kids today really need to learn

By October 4, 2011
Blackboard Jungle

Recently I sent an e-mail to a couple of local high school teachers who are involved with creating a new online class. One is a history teacher, the other teaches science. They wanted to teach students about “Problems of the 21st Century,” ostensibly to help prepare the next generation for what's ahead. I’m sure they considered climate change one of the “Problems of the 21st Century,” but I thought it would be a good idea to whisper in their ear and encourage them to take on the … [Read more...]

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An economy beyond jobs: the new normal

By September 7, 2011
businessman in suit with laptop on beach

In his speech on jobs this Thursday night, President Obama will surely try to win back the six out of ten Americans who think he's handled the economy badly. And he'll probably offer some ideas to pump capital into the economy and create jobs, naturally watered down to offer as little offense as possible to the Tea Party and the US Chamber of Commerce. But given that the US may soon reach the permanent end of economic growth, it's unlikely that Obama will have anything of substance to offer … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Economy Tagged With: , , , , ,

Kunstler and Heinberg chew the peak oil fat

By September 6, 2011
Kunstler and Heinberg Podcast

In addition to his many books on peak oil and the tragedy of urban sprawl, James Howard Kunstler has a weekly podcast with Duncan Crary called the KunstlerCast. The most recent episode recorded an interview with Richard Heinberg, Senior Fellow-In-Residence at the Post Carbon Institute to discuss Richard’s new book The End of Growth. The interview lasts almost an hour, with the first part available here. What is progress? Kunstler and Heinberg begin with the cultural notion of progress. … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Transition Tagged With: , , , , ,

For peak oil, these stars are shining brightly

By August 31, 2011
stars-of-peak-oil

We first launched Transition Voice nearly a year ago with two interviews: Transition Town founder Rob Hopkins and the late oil industry investment banker Matt Simmons. Since then, interviews with key figures in the peak oil movement, from James Howard Kunstler to Sharon Astyk to Nicole Foss, have become one of our most popular features. And we've kept 'em coming. Our latest was a discussion with Post Carbon Institute's Richard Heinberg about the questions he raises on the US economy in his … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Energy Tagged With: , , , , ,

How to talk about the end of growth: interview with Richard Heinberg

By August 26, 2011
Author Richard Heinberg

Just after the release of his newest book, The End of Growth: Adapting to Our New Economic Reality, I sat down with Richard Heinberg via Skype to get his take on what needs to happen to shift the conversation on peak oil and peak debt. The interview follows. LC: Thanks for taking some time to talk to me again. RH: Sure. LC: Did you consult an astrologer on the release date of the timing of your book coming out— RH: Ha, ha, ha. LC: Because it certainly was a little uncanny … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Economy Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Economics has failed us, but there is life after growth!

By August 23, 2011
The End of Growth

Meet Richard Heinberg, the most mild mannered thrasher you'll ever encounter. Heinberg, the geeky brains behind the energy and culture think tank Post Carbon Institute, has toiled away over the past few decades crunching the numbers on energy depletion. In the process, he has come to some some pretty grim conclusions. It's a wonder, then, that the guy seems so peppy. Perhaps it's a survival mechanism to keep us from shooting the messenger. Because the truth is Heinberg seldom has good news … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Books, Reviews Tagged With: , ,

Jilted by another smooth-talking oilman

By August 4, 2011
Parody Chevron ad "We Lie Because You Can't Handle the Truth"

Every time I'm tempted to stop worrying and love oil companies, they do something to set me straight again. A few weeks ago, when I watched the documentary Houston We Have a Problem, I wanted to hug the Texas oil guys who said that the world was running out of oil and that the economy needed to find another source of energy. Or even start to conserve. Then, there was a heartwarming online video from Transition Houston, featuring a geophysicist, formerly in exploration with major oil … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Energy Tagged With: , , , , , , ,