Category Archives: 3) Fast Crash

The case for a fast, rather than a slow one. Most societies crashed in 20 years or less. There has never been or will be again a crash like ours, where the world of 7 billion people became utterly dependent on a non-renewable source of energy — fossil fuels.

Global oil discovered 7.7 times less than consumption in 2019

Posted on June 24, 2020 by

Source: Rystad Energy (2020) in “Global oil and gas discoveries reach four-year high in 2019, boosted by ExxonMobil’s Guyana success“. Preface.  The global conventional discovery chart above lists natural gas and oil discoveries since 2013.  The fossil fuel that really … Continue reading →

Posted in How Much Left, Peak Oil | Tagged , | 4 Comments

World’s Oceans are losing Oxygen rapidly

Posted on May 25, 2020 by

Preface. Yikes, add deoxygenization to your list of worries. Oxygen levels in the world’s oceans declined by roughly 2% from 1960 and 2010. The decline was largely due to climate change, though other human activities such as nutrient runoff from … Continue reading →

Posted in Climate Change, Extinction, Mass Extinction, Planetary Boundaries | Tagged , , | 7 Comments

Abrupt Impacts of Climate Change

Posted on May 22, 2020 by

Preface. This is a summary of the National Research Council 2013 study of abrupt changes of climate change. Related: 2019-12-6. Research reveals past rapid Antarctic ice loss due to ocean warming.  “…the sensitive West Antarctic Ice Sheet collapsed during a … Continue reading →

Posted in Planetary Boundaries | Tagged | 1 Comment

Nuclear waste will last a lot longer than climate change

Posted on May 19, 2020 by

Preface. One of the most tragic aspects of peak oil is that it is very unlikely once energy descent begins that oil will be expended to clean up our nuclear mess. No one wants the spent fuel! New Mexico is … Continue reading →

Posted in Nuclear Waste, Planetary Boundaries | Tagged , , | 3 Comments

USGS: Half of U.S. Coal runs out in 35 years, not 250

Posted on May 13, 2020 by

Preface. The USGS did a survey of coal in the U.S. in 1974 and announced that America had 250 years of coal left.  In 2007, the National Research Council wrote a report suggesting 100 years was more likely due to … Continue reading →

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Will covid-19 delay peak oil?

Posted on May 9, 2020 by

Preface. Here is my take on the effect this pandemic will have on oil production. 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 … Continue reading →

Posted in How Much Left, Oil & Gas, Peak Oil | Tagged , , | 3 Comments

How sand transformed civilization

Posted on April 29, 2020 by

Preface. No wonder we’re reaching peak sand. We use more of this natural resource than of any other except water. Civilization consumes nearly 50 billion tons of sand & gravel a year, enough to build a concrete wall 88 feet … Continue reading →

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How a pandemic or bioweapon could take civilization down

Posted on April 23, 2020 by

Preface.  I just listened to a 3.5 hour podcast on pandemics and bioweapons with the best up-to-date coverage I know of, and more interesting to listen to than reading a book or article.  Just one of many scary problems: synthetic … Continue reading →

Posted in 3) Fast Crash, Biowarfare, Interdependencies, Pandemic Fast Crash | Tagged , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Nuclear Power problems

Posted on April 17, 2020 by

Preface.  There are half a dozen articles below. Although safety and disposal of nuclear waste ought to be the main reasons why no more plants should be built, what actually stops them today are the high costs: it can take … Continue reading →

Posted in Electric Grid & Fast Collapse, Nuclear Power Collapse, Nuclear Power Energy | Tagged , , | 3 Comments

Fossil-fueled industrial heat hard to impossible to replace with renewables

Posted on April 14, 2020 by

Preface. Cement, steel, glass, bricks, ceramics, chemicals, and much more depend on fossil-fueled high heat (up to 3200 F) to make. Except for the electric-arc furnace to recycle existing steel, there aren’t any renewable ways to make cement, other metals, … Continue reading →

Posted in Alternative Energy, Manufacturing & Industrial Heat | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments