My new book, Abolish Oil Now, will talk about why the climate movement has failed and what we can do instead to win. If you think that climate change is turning out to be worse than anyone had thought, it's not hard to find people who agree with you. Just check out some recent headlines: "Scientists Have Been Underestimating the Pace of Climate Change" says Scientific … [Read more...]
Follow the energy to find the money
While the phrase "follow the money" is common parlance in progressive circles these days, a more relevant line of investigation for these peak oil times of ours might be, I think, "follow the energy." For as it is, the suggestion of "following the money" generally refers to something like following the trail of bread crumbs all the way to where the buck stops, one eventually … [Read more...]
The curse of slavery, the curse of oil
Against all odds, a film based on a 150-year-old, almost forgotten book has generated international acclaim and is positioned to sweep multiple Oscars categories. The recently-released film 12 Years A Slave is based on the autobiography of the same name by Solomon Northrup, a free black man who lived in New York state with his wife and two children before the Civil War. … [Read more...]
The Age of Oil: Every man a master, every man a slave
"If we do commit a sin owning slaves," said one Alabama slaveholder in 1835, "it is certainly one which is attended with great conveniences." You can say the same thing about using energy from fossil fuels — it may be immoral, but it sure is handy. And that's the conundrum that Andrew Nikiforuk examines in The Energy of Slaves: Oil and the New Servitude. Every man a … [Read more...]
Emancipating slaves then and now
This year marks the 150th anniversary of the Emancipation Proclamation. It's a needed chance for Americans to talk about slavery that has helped us reexamine our history. For example, recent documentaries and museum exhibits on America's Founding Fathers regularly show that slavery played a big role in the lives of several heroes of the American Revolution. So, now we know … [Read more...]