The God of Consumption = Irrevesible Climate Change

The question is often asked these days if humanity will be able to get its act together to formulate an effective response to climate change.

The transition must be one not only from a fossil-fuel based economy but also from an overconsumption-driven economy.

The end-goal must be adoption of a low-consumption, low-growth, high-equity development model that results in an improvement in people's welfare, a better quality of life for all, and greater democratic control of production.

more from Radical Left :: Capitalist Fundamentalism; The God of Consumption

Logical Science | Corn Ethanol: The Great Boondoggle

Logical Science | Corn Ethanol: The Great Boondoggle

Harvard and Columbia University’s Professor Michael McElroy writes:The balance in terms of emission of greenhouse gases is close to a wash for the United States: the reduction in net emissions of carbon dioxide obtained by using corn rather than petroleum as a "feedstock" for motor fuel is largely offset by additional emissions of the several hundredfold more potent greenhouse gas, nitrous oxide, formed as a byproduct of the nitrogen fertilizer used to grow the corn.


This is while we are using natural gas to make the corn. If we switch to coal for the distillation process then the situation will only get worse.

If We Want to Survive the Climate Crisis We Must Change | Environment | AlterNet

If We Want to Survive the Climate Crisis We Must Change | Environment | AlterNet

Either we build real community -- with mass transit and local food -- or we will go down clinging to the wreckage of our privatized society.

... really, we need to change our sense of what we want from the world.

Do we want enormous homes and enormous cars, all to ourselves? If we do, then we can't deal with global warming. Do we want to keep eating food that travels 1,500 miles to reach our lips? Or can we take the bus or ride a bike to the farmers' market? Does that sound romantic to you? Farmers' markets are the fastest growing part of the American food economy; really, we need to change our sense of what we want from the world.

Only zero emissions can prevent a warmer planet - climate-change - 29 February 2008 - New Scientist Environment

Only zero emissions can prevent a warmer planet - climate-change - 29 February 2008 - New Scientist Environment:

"Greenhouse gas emissions will have to be eliminated completely to stabilise the Earth's climate and prevent temperatures from rising. That’s the conclusion of climatologists in the US who say that our current efforts to merely stabilise emissions will not be enough."

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World can 'afford' to solve its environmental woes: OECD - Yahoo! News UK

World can 'afford' to solve its environmental woes: OECD - Yahoo! News UK:

"The suggested measures would cost just over 1.0 percent of the predicted global gross domestic product in 2030, meaning world wealth would grow on average 0.03 percentage points less per year over the next 22 years, the organisation said.

If nothing is done however, global greenhouse gas emissions could rise by over 50 percent by 2050, while 'one billion more people will be living in areas of severe water stress by 2030 than today, and premature deaths caused by ground-level ozone worldwide would quadruple by 2030,' the OECD report said."

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'Enjoy life while you can' | Environment | The Guardian

'Enjoy life while you can' | Environment | The Guardian

For decades, his advocacy of nuclear power appalled fellow environmentalists - but recently increasing numbers of them have come around to his way of thinking. His latest book, The Revenge of Gaia, predicts that by 2020 extreme weather will be the norm, causing global devastation; that by 2040 much of Europe will be Saharan; and parts of London will be underwater

Peak Oil: Life After the Oil Crash

Peak Oil: Life After the Oil Crash

Oil jumps to new record on dollar's fall - Yahoo! News

Oil jumps to new record on dollar's fall - Yahoo! News