On our current course, a collapse is, barring a miracle, inevitable, and many would say that it could come at any time. Indeed, some have pointed to the recent U.S. and global economic fiasco as a sign that the collapse has begun. Others point out that, just prior to the economic meltdown, oil prices had spiked to USD 147/barrel, roughly double what they are now – and that prices now are much higher than they have been for decades. This could be a sign that “peak oil” has arrived and that the future will hold many more, and more extreme, oil price spikes.

In an interview with long-time environmentalist/green energy/green solutions guy Guy Dauncey this past Tuesday, I raised some of these concerns and he replied “bollocks,” or words to that effect. Regular readers will know that I lean toward a collapse being considerably more likely than not, and that I suggest preparing for it. Part of the reason for my prediction is reality – oil really is running out, climate change is really happening – and part is political: our ‘leaders’ are going in the wrong direction, heavily influenced by their corporate sponsors. (Politicians should wear Nascar-style jackets, covered with the logos of major contributors.)

Guy Dauncey is absolutely, relentlessly optimistic that we can make the transition to a post-oil, carbon neutral world – and quickly. As he spends much of his time researching solutions, and as I have read some of his books and attended some of his lectures, I believe him when he says we can do it. But Dauncey goes further – he also says we can build the political will in time to makes this transition, and this is difficult to support based on recent evidence.

Both Dauncey and I refer to the mobilisation for World War II that occurred within months. Most peak oil scholars suggest we need to start any transition twenty years prior to the time of peak oil, which could well be upon us now. This puts Dauncey at odds with some well-respected folks who have done a great deal of research of their own in the field. But could he be right? Continue reading →

How far behind are Canada and the United States? How about these for eye-opening statistics:

• A solar water heater in China costs less than $200. Without one, a family wanting hot water would have to buy an electric water heater for about the same price and pay up to $120 per year for electricity. The payback is almost instantaneous.
• By relying on the sun, the citizens of Rizhao have cut carbon dioxide emissions by almost 53 thousand tons per year. Air quality has remained much better than in most urban areas of China, luring foreign investors and increasing tourism.
• Experts project that by 2010 the number of solar water heaters installed in China will equal the thermal equivalent of the electrical capacity of 40 large nuclear power plants. Globally, solar water heaters have the capacity to produce as much energy as more than 140 nukes.

These stunning solar statistics and many more fascinating facts can be found here.

The real question is, why aren’t we also leaders in this area? Where is our Made-at-Home solution? Perhaps the answer is contained in a study from the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP), which points out that “many barriers and fossil-fuel subsidies” are hampering the switch to a green economy. Here in my province, so-called ‘green’ British Columbia, for example, a recent budget containing a revenue-neutral carbon tax also gave over three hundred million dollars to the oil and gas industries annually. Continue reading →

Those solutions assume time to slowly decrease carbon output and honesty on the part of government and corporations. Time is too short and honesty virtually non-existent. They also leave out the other greenhouse gases, especially methane. We need to completely transform the economy starting immediately and achieve GHG neutrality within years, not decades. And why are we allowing people to pollute anyway?

People who think carbon taxes or cap-and-trade will work are assuming governments and corporations – these days there is little difference between the two – will do the right thing. Have they done so thus far?

The European Experience with Carbon Trading

Look at the European Union’s imposition of a carbon trading system; so far, carbon dioxide emissions by companies under the trading scheme continue to increase. Perhaps more slowly than they would have without the system, perhaps not; there is really no way to be sure. But we can say unequivocally that the E.U. carbon trading scheme has so far not done what it was intended to do, namely reduce emissions, while at the same time it has increased costs for consumers.

The theory of carbon trading is that companies have carbon credits (essentially a license to pollute) that they can sell if they don’t need them. Thus companies that dump less carbon sell their credits and companies that dump more have to buy credits. This is intended to provide motivation to emit less carbon. That’s the theory.

In the E.U., intense lobbying (formerly known as “corruption”) resulted in carbon credits being given to polluters for free, rather than sold, and so many of them were handed out that the carbon market all-but-collapsed. Accusations of undue corporate influence were and are denied by many of those responsible for handing out the credits. The value you should place on such denial is best illustrated by the case of the German economy minister of the time. He denies accusations of undue influence by industry –  and today sits on the board of RWE Power, Europe’s largest emitter of carbon. Continue reading →

Many millions of people have considered going vegetarian at some point in their life, and millions have. (Hundreds of millions including those who do so as part of their religion.) As climate change, fisheries collapse, desertification, and other crises become less ignorable, many of us will have to consider eating less meat, if not forgoing many animal products entirely.

In my experience, there are four reasons that people go veg:

• Personal Health
• Weight Loss
• Planetary Health
• Compassion for Animals

There is a fifth reason that may remove the choice for many: Economic. Meat and animal products may simply become too costly. Continue reading →