Category Archives: Books

Other booklists

The Biophysical Economics Policy Center booklist from 1926 to present Books John Howe Astyk, S. (2008) “Depletion and Abundance, Life On the New Home Front.” Bartlett, A. (2004) “The Essential Exponential, For the Future of Our Planet.” Bligh, J. (2004) … Continue reading

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A book review of “Russia’s Food Policies and Globalization”

Preface.  Today Russia exports a substantial percent of wheat, and now that oil prices are surging is in much better shape than after the Fall of the Soviet Union in 1991.  But with peak oil likely in 2018, and money … Continue reading

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Who lives, who dies in a never-ending energy crisis. Book review of Nothing to Envy. Ordinary Lives in North Korea

Preface. Much of this post comes from Barbara Demick’s 2010 “Nothing to Envy. Ordinary lives in North Korea”.  But first I summarize why and how energy shortages led to the hardships chronicled in this book. Related Posts: North Korea collapse … Continue reading

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Catton on overshoot “Bottleneck: Humanity’s Impending Impasse”

Preface. This post has two articles about overshoot, the actual crisis, not climate change which is just one of about a dozen symptoms (biodiversity loss, topsoil erosion, fresh water depletion, etc) that we’ve exceeded Earth’s carrying capacity. Yet all of … Continue reading

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Scientists and Environmentalists for Population Stabilization

This fantastic list is from March 2014, so to see the must up-to-date bibliography go here: Scientists and Environmentalists for Population Stabilization bibliography Arrow, K., B. Bolin, R. Costanza, P. Dasgupta, C. Folke, C.S. Holling, B. Jansson, S. Levin, K. … Continue reading

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Without a Trace ‘The Sixth Extinction,’ by Elizabeth Kolbert

Review by Al Gore Feb 10, 2014. New York Times. Over the past decade, Elizabeth Kolbert has established herself as one of our very best science writers. She has developed a distinctive and eloquent voice of conscience on issues arising … Continue reading

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University of Minnesota syllabus for HSEM 2624H “Sustainability or Collapse? An Interdisciplinary Overview of the Human Predicament”

HSEM 2624H  –  (PROVISIONAL) SYLLABUS “Sustainability or Collapse? An Interdisciplinary Overview of the Human Predicament”  —or–  “Humans, Our Environment and the Future: A Survey of Opportunities and Constraints” Instructors: Dr. Nathan John Hagens, Dr. Kathryn Draeger This class will provide … Continue reading

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Matt Simmons “Twilight in the Desert” Saudi Arabia oil: how much left?

Once the large fields peak in Saudi Arabia oil shocks will reverberate throughout the world Best up-to-date status of oil fields in Saudi Arabia. Ghawar is in decline, but 2 new fields filled in, once they’re in decline, there are … Continue reading

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Book review of Murderers in Mausoleums. Riding the back roads of empire between Moscow and Beijing

Book review of Murderers in Mausoleums. Riding the back roads of empire between Moscow and Beijing. Jeffrey Tayler. 2009. This was a very timely book to read while the crisis is unfolding now in the Ukraine. One of the reasons … Continue reading

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How to preserve your wealth in the worst depression ever

A book review by Alice Friedemann, June 17, 2009, of: Weiss, Martin D. 2009. “The Ultimate Depression Survival Guide.  How to Protect Your Savings, Boost Your Income, and Grow Wealthy Even in the Worst of Times”. Wiley. The economic crisis … Continue reading

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