Stories tagged with "sustainability"
It's Our Turn to Eat: How Politics Works and Why Activism is So Important
Posted by Prof. Goose on June 30, 2009 - 10:15am
Topic: Policy/Politics
Tags: activism, interest groups, politics, rationality, social movements, sustainability [list all tags]
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Livable Streets and Reclaiming Public Space for People (Instead of Automobiles)
Posted by Glenn on May 13, 2009 - 6:13pm in The Oil Drum: Campfire
Topic: Environment/Sustainability
Tags: livable streets, movie, new york city, ocean city, public space, sustainability [list all tags]
For anyone who is down in the dumps and thinks that nothing can be done to change the car-culture where you are, I hope this post offers a glimmer of hope, optimism and inspiration on what can be done when we re-think our public domain.
On American Sustainability - Anatomy of Societal Collapse (Summary)
Posted by Gail the Actuary on May 13, 2009 - 9:52am
Topic: Environment/Sustainability
Tags: chris clugston, collapse, sustainability [list all tags]
This guest post by Chris Clugston is a high level summary of a detailed analysis of America’s “predicament” and its inevitable consequences that he also prepared. His complete analysis and associated models, evidence, and references can be found at this link.
On American Sustainability—Anatomy of a Societal Collapse (Summary)
The Real “Inconvenient Truth”
Most Americans believe that we are “exceptional”—both as a society and as a species. We believe that America was ordained through divine providence to be the societal role model for the world. And we believe that through our superior intellect, we can harness and even conquer Nature in our continuous quest to improve the material living standards associated with our ever-increasing population.
The truth is that our pioneering predecessors drifted, quite by accident, upon a veritable treasure trove of natural resources and natural habitats, which they wrested by force from the native inhabitants, and which we have persistently overexploited in order to create and perpetuate our American way of life. The truth is that through our “divine ordination” and “superior intellect”, we have been persistently and systematically eliminating the very resources upon which our way of life and our existence depend.
Transport and adaptive capacity: An integrated approach to UK policy evaluation
Posted by Chris Vernon on May 10, 2009 - 10:30am in The Oil Drum: Europe
Topic: Environment/Sustainability
Tags: adaptation, climate change, oil dependence, peak oil, sustainability, transportation, united kingdom [list all tags]
It's the Ecology, Stupid
Posted by Nate Hagens on May 8, 2009 - 10:05am
Topic: Environment/Sustainability
Tags: addiction, collapse, energy, peak oil, regime change, sustainability [list all tags]
My next essay(s) will detail why our current crisis is manifesting in credit/finance, but has origins in and implications for energy, ecology and equity. I thought it would be helpful to first frame this situation from an academic perspective, by highlighting a recent Proceedings of National Academy of Sciences paper: "Overcoming Systemic Roadblocks to Sustainability: The Evolutionary Redesign of Worldviews, Institutions, and Technologies", written by a group of colleagues (professors and students) at the Gund Institute for Ecological Economics at the University of Vermont. It is a long paper but covers issues worthy of discussion - most notably an academic framework for averting collapse - a tall task. What say you? (Note: some of the authors may be reading/responding to comments, but it's finals week.)
Healthy Addictions
Posted by Jason Bradford on April 23, 2009 - 10:20am in The Oil Drum: Campfire
Topic: Demand/Consumption
Tags: consumerism, social behavior, sustainability [list all tags]
I want to discuss the notion of “healthy addictions.” Really, this is an important topic. Our brain likes 'happy' chemicals and we tend to find ways to effect their release. Trouble is, we become quickly habituated to stimulation and then seek novelty in order to get that same old feeling. Our modern society gives us so many opportunities to be rewarded, but many people can’t handle it. They gradually become addicted to unhealthy things.
Towards a New Sustainable Economy - Robert Costanza
Posted by Nate Hagens on March 25, 2009 - 9:05am
Topic: Demand/Consumption
Tags: robert costanza, sustainability [list all tags]
BigGav recently highlighted a talk by Robert Costanza given in New Zealand (scroll down). Below the fold is the article "Towards a New Sustainable Economy" by Professor Costanza (who happens to be my phd co-advisor). I agree with much of it - science is rapidly answering the questions of 'who we are' and 'what we have' - the crux is how to get from here, to what comes next. I must admit I'm very tired of the talking heads on television discussing everything about our financial crisis with no acknowledgement that ALL global currencies for past generation are functioning as fiat markers for real capital. I would fall on the floor if someone like Bob Costanza or Herman Daly was on CNN or CNBC. But the advertisers might not like it....
What does Sustainability Mean for Energy?
Posted by Gail the Actuary on March 12, 2009 - 9:14am
Topic: Environment/Sustainability
Tags: climate change, energy, peak oil, sustainability [list all tags]
What makes energy sustainable? I think each of us has our own idea, and the various ideas are not entirely the same.

To be sustainable, clearly the fuel supply must be adequate--not run out shortly. If we are concerned about climate change, a sustainable source of energy production should not add much carbon to the atmosphere, either. We are running short on fresh water, so a sustainable fuel must not put a burden on the water supply. Furthermore, it is becoming more and more clear that the system of international trade that underlies our high-tech system will not hold together indefinitely. Because of this, an energy source that depends heavily on imported raw materials or parts, or is dependent on our whole high-tech way of life, is not likely to continue very long.
Ideally, any energy source we want to emphasize in the future will meet all of these criteria, and additionally, will be inexpensive to produce. The problem is that it is very difficult to find fuels that meet all these criteria.
Use of USA Forests for Home Heating - Can this Sensibly be Expanded?
Posted by Gail the Actuary on February 22, 2009 - 11:25am
Topic: Environment/Sustainability
Tags: deforestation, easter island, heating oil, home heating, natural gas, propane, sustainability, wood [list all tags]
This is one of my favorite posts by Nate, from back in 2007. I often think about it when people talk about how a large amount of wood can be used to create cellulosic ethanol for our cars. Nate mentions in this article that we are already using virtually all of the wood growth increment each year for home heating and other uses. Wood is not really a very expandable resource, without the USA becoming like Easter Island in not very long.- Gail
A short fifty years ago, people heated their homes in winter with coal. A hundred years ago and before, people living in cold climates largely stayed warm in winter with firewood. Today, in a country (and planet) with vastly more people, we heat homes in northern climates largely with high quality fossil fuels, specifically natural gas, heating oil, and propane. Trees, a less energy-dense form of stored sunlight than oil and gas, have recovered a good part of their former % of landcover in the US, despite being still used for paper, wood, furniture, pulp and some heat. Below is an analysis of how the US residential sector heats its homes, how large are our forests and how much they grow and how much wood we could use for heat, after fossil fuels decline.
US direct fossil fuel use for heating Click to enlarge.
Towards 'The Greatest Good'?
Posted by Nate Hagens on January 15, 2009 - 10:31am in The Oil Drum: Campfire
Topic: Environment/Sustainability
Tags: campfire, gifford pinchot, greatest good, original, sustainability [list all tags]
Below the fold is a guest post by Cornelius, a scientist at an East Coast university (with whom I spent some time with when studying in Vermont).
Here are the guidelines for the Wed night/Sat. Campfire slot - please consider submitting a post if you have expertise/experience/big ideas on either the supply or demand side of our energy future to: todcampfire@gmail.com or campfire@theoildrum.com.


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