Monday, October 04, 2004

The Party's Over by Richard Heinberg

This was the first book I read about such a topic. I've read a few since and they all point in the same direction. Finite resources, ideology of infinite growth. Can't work both ways.

One day the earth’s accessible oil will run out. What will happen then? More importantly, what will happen as the peak of global oil extraction hits in the next decade? (the US peak was in 1972) With great clarity, Heinberg explores the background and potential answers to this question. We learn how energy works, the story of Western Civilization regarding energy, the potential of alternatives to fossil fuels, and powerful analytic tools such as EREOI (energy return on energy invested). A wonderful blend of science and social science, ecology, history and hope. “It is realistic to hope for humankind to move collectively from being a colonizing species to becoming a cooperative member of climax ecosystems.”


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