Plan B Book Byte #7 30 September 2007

This post requires you do a lot o’ readin’. I try to keep things brief, knowing that most who visit this site don’t have time to do much more than look at the snapshots of t&a I routinely hide in the links. Today, I ask that you skip that pointless article in the Times or Post about Hillary vs. Obama and instead read something that actually matters:

LEARNING FROM THE PAST

http://www.earthpolicy.org/Books/Seg/PB2ch01_ss4.htm

Lester R. Brown

Our twenty-first century global civilization is not the first to face the prospect of environmentally induced economic decline. The question is how we will respond. We do have one unique asset at our command–an archeological record that shows us what happened to earlier civilizations that got into environmental trouble and failed to respond.

As Jared Diamond points out in his book Collapse, some of the early societies that were in environmental trouble were able to change their ways in time to avoid decline and collapse. Six centuries ago, for example, Icelanders realized that overgrazing on their grass-covered highlands was leading to extensive soil loss from the inherently thin soils of the region. Rather than lose the grasslands and face economic decline, farmers joined together to determine how many sheep the highlands could sustain and then allocated quotas among themselves, thus preserving their grasslands and avoiding what Garrett Hardin later termed the “tragedy of the commons.”

The Icelanders understood the consequences of overgrazing and reduced their sheep numbers to a level that could be sustained. We understand the consequences of burning fossil fuels and the resulting CO2 buildup in the atmosphere. Unlike the Icelanders who were able to restrict their livestock numbers, we have not been able to restrict our CO2 emissions.

Not all societies have fared as well as the Icelanders, (more…)

Excess Disguised as Less 28 September 2007

Thanks, once again, to Larry O of Entermodal for passing along a solid article:

“EXCESS DISGUISED AS LESS”

This one, penned by Akiko Busch, asks that we look closely at our consumer purchasing habits, especially those of us who consider ourselves ‘green’. Could it be that we’re fooling ourselves into thinking we’ve actually changed our behavior? Is our addiction somehow uglier than those who aren’t ’sustainability-minded’ because ours is so much more hypocritical?

From the article: “Few of us will deny that this is a time of consumer excess and that the cycle of bloated consumption and grievous waste is part of our national profile. But as individuals, we are unwilling to cop to our own participation in it. The health of our economy might depend upon our constant consumption of goods, but it’s not an identity we much like. It implicates us in something—not exactly a conspiracy, but at least a kind of collusion between voracious consumer appetite and the marketers who depend upon it. As the writer and conservationist Wendell Berry describes the situation: “It is the fault of an economy that is wasteful from top to bottom—a symbiosis of unlimited greed at the top and a lazy, passive, and self-indulgent consumptiveness at the bottom—and all of us are involved in it.” “

It’s a nice read. I urge you to take two minutes out of your day to give it a scan.

Technorati Tags: consumerism, wal-mart

The HOTTEST Naked Women!! 26 September 2007

I know the web is overflowing with smut and I don’t typically traffic in erotica or visit nasty, dirty sites like FarmCum.com, but. . .sometimes beauty is just too incredible, too sublime, too ample. Whatever you do, don’t tell Andi (my wife) about this!

HERE IS THE LINK!

(In other news, former Defense Department Analyst, Daniel Ellsberg, recently penned a piece titled ‘A Coup Has Occured’. Really great stuff from an intelligent source. Not eco-related directly, but if we don’t overthrow this coup (no, electing Hillary doesn’t count), we’re utterly fucked.)

Myths of Biofuels DVD

Dennis Brumm, of SFBayOil.org recently contacted me about a new DVD, “The Myths of Biofuels.” As I’ve yet to pick up a copy (but I will), I can’t detail to you, dearest and most gentle reader, the experience. However, I can and will include Dennis’ description (below). This is a public domain effort, meaning we can all freely copy and redistribute the DVD (provided it is chock full of, like, totally awesome information and isn’t a neo-nazi training video in disguise–which one has to admit would be fascinating, if repulsive).

From Dennis:

On June 7 of this year, David Fridley, staff scientist at Lawrence Berkeley
Lab, active in San Francisco Bay Area peak oil groups, gave a presentation
entitled “The Myths of Biofuels” organized by the Post Carbon Santa Clara
Valley group. David (and I) were two of the people
who were involved last year with a Peak Oil Resolution passed by the San
Francisco Board of Supervisors, the first of its kind in a major American
city.

The presentation was taped and has been edited to DVD. It is now available for
the cost of materials and shipping spent to produce and distribute it. The
first run of 100 DVDs is complete, and the total cost of this run of 100 - to
produce and mail (1st class postage), allows us to make the DVD available for
$7.50 (US shipping. Elsewhere, there will be additional postage costs).

Eventually it is planned to have the entire presentation available online at
various locations (this will not be for a few months), but the quality of
information in the slides of the presentation, etc., as well as the ability to
use the indexing functions that DVDs would not be as good when it’s reduced to
flash video at YouTube, etc.

To acquire a copy of this DVD for your personal use or for showing to any group
etc., a form is available at this URL:

http://www.sfbayoil.org/sfoa/myths/acquire.html

Links on the web page above will provide further information on the content and
production of the DVD. Alternatively, you can email me directly
(dennis@sfbayoil.org) with your name, shipping address, and for those kind
souls who may want more than one copy, the total number of the movies you
need.

You are encouraged to copy the DVD and distribute it as well once you have it.

++

So, there you have it. Go forth and order a copy!

biofuel, oil, peak oil

I DARE YOU to Watch This Film: Earthlings 17 September 2007

You profess a concern for the ethical treament of animals. You even buy ‘cage free’ eggs at the supermarket. A twinge of guilt strikes you when you look down at your black leather shoes. Am I on the money?

If so, I absolutely dare you to pick up this film and watch it. No, Netflix doesn’t stock it. Neither does Amazon. You’ll have to get it directly from Joaquin Phoenix and his buddies at I SAW EARTHLINGS.COM.

Will you lose your appetite? Assuredly. Will you feel tremendous heapings of guilt. Oh yes. Both of these are massive understatements. And knowing this, you will never, ever, ever purchase this movie. You’ve already stated your concern. . .you know that ’somewhere’ bad things are done to animals, but that ’somewhere’ is nowhere near you and you’ve never supported it. You also know damned well that you’re kidding yourself and you don’t want to know any better. This doesn’t make you a bad person, only willfully ignorant. Slippery slope.

Get this movie. If you do, and don’t find it absolutely invaluable, I will personally refund your purchase price. I’m dead serious.

Song ‘o the Day is something of a shocker. Remember 4 Non Blondes? Yeah, well. Here they are doing the Carpenters’ “Bless the Beasts & the Children.” Rock on.

Technorati Tags: animal welfare, earthlings, joaquin phoenix, shaun monson, vegetarian

There’s a Whole New World Out There 16 September 2007

What me worry about the environment? Why bother when the ENTIRE WORLD is being rebuilt from scratch.

Off the coast of Dubai.

CHECK IT OUT. I strongly urge you to watch the “Residence Tour.”
Thank god the world’s wealthiest are taking care of business, know what I’m sayin’?

Technorati Tags: dubai, the world, islands, end of the world is nigh, bizarre dredging, hubris, folly

Pesky Ice is FINALLY Out of the Way! 15 September 2007

Some more great news!

It appears that damned ice cap that has been blocking the long sought Northwest Passage is finally out of the way. Last year, scientists thought it would take another twenty years to melt the annoying stuff, but fortunately for world travelers, things are gettin’ hot in a hurry!

This is GREAT news for those of us who, like myself, prefer to summer in Norway and winter in Japan. Now our cruise ships will only have to travel half the distance! Clearly, those shrill eco-warrior pussies have no idea how much prettier the northern hemisphere is without all the ice.

Read out about the incredibly rapid melting of the Arctic ice HERE.

Other Joyful Happiness and Fun 14 September 2007

From time to time, I am inclined to promote my other creative ventures. Dearest visitor, bear a dear and take the scantest of time from your mad schedule to peruse the following links:

JUNETEN.COM: Polaroid Madness

POLAFICTION.COM: Photos + Story Drafts

Thank you, ever so much. As I’m withdrawing of late from my past habit of near-daily outpourings of eco-angst, I am no more than happy to promote YOUR creative enterprise on this site. Email me. Call me. Send smoke signals. What the hell are you up to, anyway?

China’s Ethanol Plan 11 September 2007

David DuByne, who lives in China, recently penned quite a nice piece for EnergyBulletin, one of my favorite online sources of the politics and science of global energy issues. David’s piece is definitely worth a read: “Low Grain Harvest, Rising Food Prices & China’s Ethanol Plan”.

From the article:

On September first the head of China’s Energy Ministry, Ma Kai, in a live television speech stated “For the long-term development of our Chinese nation, saving energy and reducing pollution are so important, so urgent. If we don’t change this situation… the economy will go badly and won’t go far”. It was the first televised large-scale appeal to consumers to change their lifestyles and conserve energy.

What’s more, it seems that China has decided to abandon most new construction of food-based ethanol plants. Oddly schizophrenic, China. Here, they’re leapfrogging the U.S. and other nations, while in so many other areas they still have such a long way to go. Regardless, I have to applaud this decision. Of course, this increases China’s reliance on petroleum, but the Chinese very much realize the need for finding an alternative. The fact that they’ve so quickly realized the massive problems with ethanol gives me a bit of hope.

Thanks, David, for alerting me to your writing. Keep it up. We need it.

Technorati Tags: china, ethanol, lester brown, petroleum, oil

My First Fashion Review: Edun Pants 9 September 2007

This is exciting! My first fashion review!

My ever-perfect wife Andi (of the nation’s premier ethical-apparel store, Arboretum) brought home to me a new pair of black pants by Edun. Owned by the ever-righteous Bono, Edun is, according to its website, “founded on the premise of trade, not aid as a means of building sustainable communities. The company works on a micro-level to help build the skill sets of the factories where the clothes are produced.”

I own a few Edun pieces, but never before had I sported the pants (Omega Twill Chinos), as I’m a Rag & Bone man to the core (my all-time favorite men’s line - also available at Arboretum, btw). And while I love you, Bono, these pants pretty much suck hard. The fit is fine for a skinny bastard like me, but two massive complaints:

UNO: No belt loops. While this is absolutely rad in a pair of women’s pants, it’s a joke for men. Men are generally bigger (though at 6′1″/165 I’m not exactly massive) and fluctuate in actual pounds more than do women. This means we need belts to make adjustments for those days when our bowel movements are exceedingly large. Without a belt loop, I have days where they fit just right and others where I can’t wear them.

DOS: The front “pockets” are laughable! They’re deep enough to hold six, maybe seven Tic Tacs. Try putting a mobile phone or a money clip in there and you’re bound to be frustrated. After some work, I did manage to squeeze my money clip in, but it came popping out whenever I sat down. Oddly enough, shallow front pockets are another feature commonly found in women’s pants. I suspect women are quite concerned with maintaining nice lines in front. Most men need those pockets to put things in. Hence the pocket in the first place. I won’t even get into the ‘flying wings’ that are the back pocket flaps. When I have time I’m going to unstitch them by hand.

There are darned good reasons clothes are built differently for boys and girls. The reason is called gender-differentiated ergonomic requirements. Whoever is designing for Edun seems to live in a fantasy world where men and women have identical builds and social requirements.

Bono, if you’re out there, I’m rooting for your line. Your wife’s line. I’m rooting for just about everything you do. I highly respect the noble mission that you’ve set out to achieve with the Edun line. The Africa-to-Africa production cycle is fantastic.

I’m sure my wife and her partner are going to be aghast that I’ve given a less than glowing review to a product they carry. However, my duty is to be honest. And, honestly, these pants are shite. Bono - pick up the phone and call Rag & Bone. Maybe they can loan out their designer.

Technorati Tags: africa, arboretum, bono, clothing, pants, rag & bone, bono