It's been a riveting, unnerving month. One that shows, once again, the deep fragility of our political and economic structures. If there's a silver lining, it is that the events in the Middle East and Wisconsin illustrate how swiftly individuals and whole communities can respond to crises and make wide-sweeping changes.
But to respond appropriately we must first understand that all of these issues and events are connected -- rising food and oil prices across the globe, population demographics, geopolitical instability, and the struggle of local, state, and federal governments to both stimulate the economy and curb runaway debts.
This, from PCI Senior Fellow Richard Heinberg:
"As oil prices reach $100 a barrel for the first time since 2008, many people are wondering whether 2011 will see a replay of crashing car sales, nose-diving airlines, and fuel-starved farmers. Food prices—which these days move almost in lockstep with oil prices—are already at frightening levels, leading Lester Brown of Earth Policy Institute to warn of “The Great Food Crisis of 2011".
But there are differences, now versus then..." read the rest...
In other Institute news:...
new pci adviser
In February PCI welcomed Sanjay Khanna as a new adviser. In his first post for PCI Sanjay invites advocates of bold climate action to take part in a conversation on the possible usefulness of a 'psychological toolkit'.
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Sanjay Khanna
Sanjay Khanna is a writer, journalist, futurist, director and founder of Resilient People, which helps civic organizations, governments, and companies address the psychological, social, and cultural impacts of economic and climate shifts... Read more |
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A Modest Proposal: Psychosocial Toolkit for Advocates of Bold Climate Action
This brief post is intended to stimulate a response among people who are bearing witness to, and tracking, the latest effects of climate change on people and the planet. It's aimed at those who sense the consequences... Read more |
the end of growth
the post carbon reader
latest publications
Read, watch or listen to the latest content by our Fellows, Board, Advisers and Staff anytime on our website. Here are some selections from the last month:
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2008 All Over Again?
Post by Richard Heinberg • February 28, 2011
As oil prices pass $100 a barrel for the first time since 2008, many people are wondering whether 2011 will see a replay of crashing car sales, nose-diving airlines, and fuel-starved farmers... Read more |
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The peak oil crisis: inflection point?
Post by Tom Whipple • February 24, 2011
It has taken two months for the contagion that began with the immolation of a fruit seller in Tunisia to reach the first significant oil producing nation. As oil production in Libya grinds to a halt... Read more |
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Profile: Bill Ryerson
Video interview with Bill Ryerson • February 25, 2011
Ryerson talks about his work including helping create popular serial dramas to promote behavior change in countries around the world... Read more |
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Bill McKibben: Climate Change Is Our Most Urgent Challenge
Video commentary by Bill McKibben • February 16, 2011
Post Carbon Fellow and founder of 350.org Bill McKibben says that without a global campaign to curb climate change, the ecological devastation of our warming climate will make our planet uninhabitable. His appeal to citizens and policy-makers... Watch |
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An Interview with Michael Shuman: if we're serious about localisation, "all of us have to go to Business School"...
Post by Rob Hopkins • February 14, 2011
I was honoured last week to be able to interview Michael Shuman, who has long been one of pioneers of thinking on the question of localisation. It was a fascinating conversation... Read more |
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Krugman doesn't get it
Post by Richard Heinberg • February 10, 2011
Economist Paul Krugman (among others) is trying to explain away the worrying signs we've seen recently about supply limits in energy and food with claims that it's all a matter of distribution... Read more |
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Egypt's Warning: Are You Listening?
Post by Chris Martenson • February 10, 2011
The stresses build for years and years, and nothing really seems to be happening, but then everything suddenly changes. Egypt is therefore emblematic of what we might expect in any complex system in which pressures are building, such as the US Treasury market... Read more |
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Solving agriculture's 10,000-year-old problem
Presentation by Wes Jackson • February 10, 2011
Wes Jackson believes we can solve agriculture's 10,000-year-old problem. Jackson spoke to hundreds of attendees Feb. 4 at the 20th annual Pennsylvania Association for Sustainable Agriculture's Farming for the Future Conference... Watch |
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Asher Miller on The Green Front
Interview with Asher Miller • February 9, 2011
First up on The Green Front is Asher Miller, Executive Director of The Post Carbon Institute. We'll talk about what to expect now that the national debt has far exceeded GDP and our demand for oil is quickly outpacing our ability to sustain consumption... Watch |
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A Revolution in Our Atmosphere, From Burning Too Many Fossil Fuels
Video featuring Bill McKibben • February 3, 2011
If you were in the space shuttle looking down yesterday, you would have seen a pair of truly awesome, even fearful, sights. Much of North America was obscured by a 2,000-mile storm... Read more |
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fellows and advisers in the press
energy bulletin highlights
Below is a selection of recent articles and media appearing on Energy Bulletin. Energy Bulletin is now on facebook. Come joins us there!
energy bulletin featured articles
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With oil and food costs rising, it looks like 2008 all over again
by Michael Wild, Peak Generation
History repeats itself: food riots are breaking out across the poorer nations, the Middle East is in turmoil and Brent crude has passed the $100 mark — 2011 is opening just like 2008 did...Read more |
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Lentils and justice for all
by Christa Hillstrom, Yes! Magazine
Memphis, Tennessee, 1892: An African American-owned neighborhood grocery store was invaded by a mob of white men vowing to "eliminate" competition posed by black businessmen who were becoming "too independent."....Read more |
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Consciousness rising, world fading
by Robert Jensen, Energy Bulletin
Our stories of awakenings — whether moral, intellectual, religious, artistic, or sexual — are tricky. Honest self-reflection doesn't come easy, and self-satisfied accounts are the norm; we love to be the heroes of our own epics... Read more |
energy bulletin featured media
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The fibershed project- Living one year in locally grown clothes
by Rebecca Burgess, Sustainable World Radio
Rebecca Burgess is an ecological restoration educator, author, and textile artist. Burgess is the founder of the Fibershed Project; a year-long challenge to live in clothes made from fibers sourced within 150 miles from her home... Listen |
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Noam Chomsky: How climate change became a 'liberal hoax'
by The Nation
Philosopher and political activist Noam Chomsky talks about the Chamber of Commerce, the American Petroleum Institute and other business lobbies enthusiastically carrying out campaigns "to try and convince the population that global warming is a liberal hoax.".. Watch |
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Peak Moment 188: Your personal baker — A bakery CSA
by Yuba Gals Independent Media, Peak Moment Television
Watch baker Jen Ownbey whip up a batch of zucchini bread while she talks with Janaia about doing what she loves. Every week, members of her bakery CSA (community supported agriculture) get a handmade, local, mostly organic, and even personalized box of breads and bakery desserts... Watch |
transition US update
A monthly update from the US regional hub of the international Transition movement.
 350 Home & Garden Challenge is in full swing! We're calling on neighbourhoods and communities across the country to take up one of the four challenge areas: Food, Water, Energy and Community. We'll be holding conference calls and online training events and we invite anyone interested to sign up as a Communty Organizer.
This month we welcome our 80th official Transition Initiative: Transition Traverse City, Michigan. Check out our February roundup of what's happening in the world of Transition and our first story in a series on Transition Youth in Action! Browse the map to find an initiative near you. |
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events
View our events calendar
 Biochar: A Carbon-Negative Solution from the Distant Past
March 1, 2011, Missoula, MT
Post Carbon Fellow Gloria Flora will speak as part of this series, co-sponsored by UM’s Wilderness Institute and Climate Change Studies program
Further event information. |
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 Building Energy 11
March 8-10, 2011, Boston, MA
Post Carbon Fellow David Orr will be the keynote speaker at this sustainable building and renewable energy event. David will be speaking on Wednesday morning.
Further event information. |
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 Momentum 2011
March 10, 2011, Minneapolis MN
Post Carbon Fellow Majora Carter simultaneously takes on public health, poverty and climate change adaptation as one of the nation's pioneers of environment-centered urban renewal and green-collar job training and placement.
Further event information. |
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 Land Institute Presentation Series
April 11-14, 2011, Brunswick ME, Williamstown, MA & Schenectady, NY
Post Carbon Fellow Wes Jackson presents on the work of the Land Institute. These lectures are free and open to the public.
Further event information. |
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 XVIIITH International Conference of the Society for Human Ecology
April 20-23, 2011, MonteLago Village Resort, NV
Post Carbon Fellow Stephanie Mills will be one of the keynotes speakers at the conference. The conference will examine the status of, and current challenges facing, human ecology around the world.
Further event information. |
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 Living Future 2011
April 27-29, 2011, Vancouver, BC
Post Carbon Fellow Majoria Carter takes the stage on April 27th as keynote speaker to share her experiences on how proven yet affordable sustainability strategies hold the power to transform a community's self-image while rejuvenating the environment around us. This session will be open to the public.
Further event information. |
Image credit: Tunisia riot & Egypt riots — Flickr/nassernouri
Image credit: Sanjay Khanna by Mark Cohene Image credit: Sad earth sculpture — Flickr/JohnLeGear
Image credit: Goldilocks — Flickr/Darren Wren
Image credit: Storm system by NASA
Image credit: Oakland cookery class by People's Grocery
Image credit: 1st Annual Spring Seed and Recipe Swap, February 2011 by Debbie Simpson: Transition San Fernando Valley Time Exchange |
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The Nature of Design
