Category Archives: 2) Collapse

The collapse of the financial system, breakdown of supply chains, blackouts, end of being able to make computer chips, and so on are symptoms of the underlying cause: LESS OIL AVAILABLE TO DO MILLIONS OF ESSENTIAL TASKS. Whether the house of cards goes from the financial shock of a natural disaster or from debt and corruption, blockage of the Suez canal, Export Land Model, or (nuclear war) — there is certain to be a series of dislocations that ultimately bring population down to 1 billion or less, and given past collapses, take about 20-30 years. Let’s hope there are some islands of sanity and that you, dear reader, are living on one of them!

Escape to Mars after we’ve trashed the Earth?

Posted on August 3, 2020 by

The idea that we can go to Mars is touted by NASA, Elon Musk, and so many others that this dream seems just around the corner.  If we destroy our planet with climate change, pollution, biodiversity loss, soil erosion, aquifer … Continue reading →

Posted in Climate Change, Extinction, Far Out, Human Nature, Planetary Boundaries, Where to Be or Not to Be | Tagged , , , , , | 10 Comments

A billion new autos by 2030 will kill climate change

Posted on July 27, 2020 by

Preface. The article below argues that electric cars aren’t going to replace gas and diesel vehicles enough to lessen greenhouse emissions. The average electric vehicle requires 30 kilowatt-hours to travel 100 miles — the same amount of electricity an average … Continue reading →

Posted in Automobiles, Climate Change | 13 Comments

Methane apocalypse? Not likely.

Posted on July 24, 2020 by

Preface. The four articles below explain why methane from permafrost or hydrates are not likely to erupt abruptly and send Earth into a hothouse hell.  In addition, here are some posts debunking Guy McPherson who believes the world will end … Continue reading →

Posted in CO2 and Methane, Methane Hydrates | Tagged , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Super heavy trucks ruin roads

Posted on July 18, 2020 by

Preface. I’m writing a book now which concludes that only biomass and biofuels can replace diesel and other fossil fuels.  But 3 billion people are expected to arrive by 2050, consuming a good chunk of the biomass, plus it will … Continue reading →

Posted in Roads, Trucks | Tagged , , , | 4 Comments

Sewage Treatment

Posted on July 9, 2020 by

Preface. Before sewage treatment, cities were hell-holes of foul smells from rotting human waste, industrial effluent, and garbage.  Few people lived beyond 50 because of the many waterborne diseases.  In fact, sewage and water treatment systems are the main reason … Continue reading →

Posted in Sewage treatment | Tagged , | 6 Comments

Climate change impacts on agriculture

Posted on July 6, 2020 by

Preface. There are three articles below on this topic. Alice Friedemann   www.energyskeptic.com  author of “When Trucks Stop Running: Energy and the Future of Transportation”, 2015, Springer, Barriers to Making Algal Biofuels, and “Crunch! Whole Grain Artisan Chips and Crackers”. Podcasts: … Continue reading →

Posted in Agriculture, BioInvasion, Drought, Extreme Weather, Heat, Soil, Soil, Water, Where to Be or Not to Be | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Human over-consumption causes far more biodiversity loss than climate change

Posted on June 9, 2020 by

Preface.  Human ancestors began reducing biodiversity 4 million years ago, when large carnivores in Africa began disappearing, probably due to our ancestors stealing food predators had caught, starving them to death and eventually driving some of them extinct (Faurby, S., … Continue reading →

Posted in Biodiversity Loss, Climate Change, Extinction | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

Oil consumption of containerships

Posted on June 6, 2020 by

Preface.  Since 90% of international goods move by ships, I was curious about how much fuel they burned.  It’s a lot: The very large container ship CMA CGM Benjamin Franklin above, which can carry 18,000 20-foot containers, carries approximately 4.5 … Continue reading →

Posted in Energy Efficiency | 2 Comments

Building a national super grid in America

Posted on June 3, 2020 by

Preface. Renewables are not evenly distributed.  Just 10 states have 80% of hydropower (Homeland Security 2011), 10 states produce 75% of wind power (EIA 2017), and 10 states produce 79% of solar power (CE 2020). With a national grid, instead … Continue reading →

Posted in Blackouts, Electric Grid, Electric Grid, Electricity, National Super Grid, Solar, Vaclav Smil, Wind | 3 Comments

11 Nations that Collapsed because of Drought

Posted on May 28, 2020 by

Preface. Recently it was discovered that Assyria collapsed in the 7th century BC.  Jeff Masters list ten more civilizations that failed from drought. We may be next, as Lynn Ingram, a professor at U.C. Berkeley discusses  in her  book: The … Continue reading →

Posted in Drought, Drought, Historically | Tagged , , | 1 Comment