Tag Archives: deforestation

European Power plants are burning American forests

Preface. More than half of Europe’s “green” energy comes from burning wood, a lot of it imported from America.  Now Denmark would like to import methanol made from pinyon pines and junipers from hundreds of thousands of acres in the … Continue reading

Posted in CO2 and Methane, Deforestation, Wood | Tagged , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Heat effects on habitability, biodiversity, and invasive species

Preface. Due to limits of human heat tolerance, much of Earth’s surface may not be habitable by 2300 if we continue to emit greenhouse gases at the current rate. But we can’t continue at the current rate. Peak oil production … Continue reading

Posted in Biodiversity Loss, BioInvasion, Deforestation, Fisheries, Heat, Wildfire | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on Heat effects on habitability, biodiversity, and invasive species

Insect & other BioInvasions

Preface.  Invasive insects that have no predators in the U.S. can only be somewhat reduced with oil-based products that will grow scarcer as petroleum declines. Pesticides are made out of oil and damage the environment for many generations to come. … Continue reading

Posted in 2) Collapse, BioInvasion | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Insect & other BioInvasions

Forests make the wind that carries the rain across continents

Preface. This is a controversial theory that if true, “could help explain why, despite their distance from the oceans, the remote interiors of forested continents receive as much rain as the coasts—and why the interiors of unforested continents tend to … Continue reading

Posted in Climate Change, Deforestation | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on Forests make the wind that carries the rain across continents

Civilization will collapse in 20-40 years from deforestation

Preface.  At current rates of deforestation, forests will be gone in 100-200 years. Long before that, in 20-40 years, the effects will be felt, with a 90% chance of civilization collapse likely.  Below “deforestation in the news” are excerpts from an … Continue reading

Posted in Deforestation, Limits To Growth | Tagged , , | 14 Comments

Climate Change dominates news coverage at expense of other existential planetary boundaries

Preface. In the half dozen science magazines and newspapers I get, almost the only environmental stories are about climate change. Yet there are 8 other ecological boundaries (Rockström 2009) we must not cross (shown in bold with an asterisk below) … Continue reading

Posted in Acidification, Biodiversity Loss, BioInvasion, Climate Change, Critical Thinking, Peak Oil, Planetary Boundaries | Tagged , , , , , , , | 17 Comments

China is deforesting Russia

Preface. Here’s more than half of a New York Times article about China deforesting Russia. Yikes! Peak oil had better come soon before we denude the earth. Alice Friedemann   www.energyskeptic.com  author of “When Trucks Stop Running: Energy and the Future … Continue reading

Posted in Deforestation | Tagged , , | Comments Off on China is deforesting Russia

Book: John Perlin’s “A Forest Journey: The Story of Wood and Civilization”

Preface.  This contains excerpts from John Perlin’s “A Forest Journey: The Story of Wood and Civilization”. It’s one of my favorite books about natural resources, exploring the role wood has played in the rise and fall of civilizations since they … Continue reading

Posted in Collapse of Civilizations, Collapsed & collapsing nations, Deforestation, Life Before Oil, Limits To Growth, Peak Resources, Soil, Wood | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

“World Scientists’ Warning to Humanity: A Second Notice”

Preface. I’m sure anyone reading this post knows it is too late to do anything but eat, drink, and be merry, for tomorrow …  Although this warning was widely published, it was left out of over half of the top … Continue reading

Posted in Biodiversity Loss, Deforestation, Fisheries, Scientists Warnings to Humanity | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

Gail Tverberg: 8 pitfalls in evaluating green energy solutions

Eight Pitfalls in Evaluating Green Energy Solutions November 18, 2014 by Gail Tverberg Does the recent climate accord between US and China mean that many countries will now forge ahead with renewables and other green solutions? I think that there are … Continue reading

Posted in Alternative Energy, Gail Tverberg | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Gail Tverberg: 8 pitfalls in evaluating green energy solutions