 This month the media both delighted and infuriated us in equal measure. On one side, Fellow Bill McKibben was interviewed on the Colbert Report. The interview is classic Colbert, with McKibben holding his own on the big stage while delivering the urgency of his mission at 350.org. On the flip side, the New York Times published what we consider to be a shockingly irresponsible op-ed by Michael Lynch, one that attacked Peak Oil as a "waste of energy" and joining a caucus of boos, Fellow Chris Martenson wrote a rebuttal that shows how this piece--filled with inaccuracies and disinformation--was a last gasp attempt to deny the reality of peak oil.
Did you get the memo? Our Senior Fellow, Richard Heinberg is starting his next book about how individuals and communities can build resilience in the face of economic collapse, peak oil, climate change and other crises. Richard wants to hear your stories; the stories of what individuals, families and communities are doing to transition to a post-carbon world. Please contact us with your stories. To those of you who already have, thank you so very much! We're reading through each and every one and will begin the process of getting back in touch with you shortly.
The second half of 2009 may well be the busiest and most exciting in the history of the Post Carbon Institute. Be sure to read about these changes, updates and events, not the least of which is an introduction to our two newest Fellows.
And as usual, in this month's newsletter we summarize the most thought-provoking content from Energy Bulletin, plus updates from Transition US.
Photo: co97rls/flickr
Contents
1. New Post Carbon video — Inconvenient Truth on Clean Coal
 August saw the release of our brand new video the Inconvenient Truth on Clean Coal. The video summarises the key message of Richard Heinberg's latest book Blackout: Coal, Climate, and the Last Energy Crisis. The book has continued to receive press this month with interviews on Iowa and Santa Fe public radio, as well as on Clean Skies News. You can support Post Carbon by embedding or linking to the video on your Facebook, blog, or website, or by sharing it with your friends. Thanks for your support! |
Back to top
2. New Fellows
As part of Post Carbon's new direction, we're adding more experts to our team to help people make sense of the new challenges of the unfolding post-carbon world. We're pleased to welcome the following colleagues as our newest Post Carbon Fellows:
 |
Hillary Brown is principal of New Civic Works, where she specializes in green design for infrastructure, public buildings, universities, and schools. While at the City of New York's Department of Design and Construction, Hillary founded the Office of Sustainable Design and was managing editor and co-author of the city's internationally recognized High Performance Building Guidelines... |
| |
|
 |
Majora Carter is President of Majora Carter Group LLC. Majora simultaneously addresses public health, poverty alleviation, and climate change as one of the nation's pioneers in successful green-collar job training and placement systems. In 2001 she founded Sustainable South Bronx to achieve environmental justice through economically sustainable projects informed by community needs... |
3. Latest Commentaries and Articles
Read and listen to the latest content by our Fellows, Board and Staff anytime on the front page of our website. Here are some selections from the last month:
 |
Temporary Recession or the End of Growth?
Article by Richard Heinberg • August 10, 2009
Everyone agrees: our economy is sick. The inescapable symptoms include declines in consumer spending and consumer confidence, together with a contraction of international trade and available credit. Add a collapse in real estate values and carnage in the automotive and airline industries and the picture looks grim indeed... Read more |
| |
|
 |
Local Offsetting — A Proposal
Commentary by Asher Miller • August 17, 2009
For months now, I've been wrestling about whether or not Post Carbon Institute should offset the carbon emissions of our Speakers Bureau. Whenever possible, we prefer to have our speakers present via webcast... Read more |
| |
|
 |
A breakthrough moment: IPCC's Dr. Pachauri supports 350 target
Commentary by Bill McKibben • August 26, 2009
Dear friends. For once, this email isn't asking you to do anything at all. It's merely sharing the news--the amazing news--that arrived about 45 minutes ago at 350 headquarters. Rajendra Pachauri is the U.N.'s top climate scientist... Read more |
| |
|
 |
'Peak oil' denial is a waste of energy
Commentary by Chris Martenson • August 26, 2009
First, I am disheartened to see that an opinion piece in the NYT was permitted to contain blatant errors. One example is that the first energy crisis was geopolitical, not geological, and that was well known at the time. Another is that I have not yet read even *one* estimate of "10 trillion barrels of oil"... Read more |
4. Fellows in the Media
 |
Heinberg interviewed on Clean Skies News
Post Carbon Senior Fellow Richard Heinberg was interviewed on the Clean Skies Energy & Environment Network. The interview explored Richard's latest book Blackout: Coal, Climate & the Last Energy Crisis... Read more
|
| |
|
 |
McKibben on The Colbert Report
Post Carbon Fellow Bill McKibben guested on the Colbert Report. Bill was there to publicize his 350.org campaign. He stated that "We're not going to stop global warming. Damage will be done, but we can keep it from getting entirely out of control."... Read more
|
| |
|
 |
Postel quoted in Science Magazine
Post Carbon Fellow Sandra Postel was quoted in this article in Science Magazine about irrigation practices and ground water depletion in India... Read more
|
Back to top
5. Energy Bulletin highlights
A selection of articles and media appearing this month at our partner site Energy Bulletin.
Energy Bulletin Featured Articles
Interview with Tom Whipple
by Steve Andrews
 Tom Whipple, retired CIA analyst and editor of this newsletter, will be a speaker at the ASPO-USA conference this October 11-13. When called up and ambushed for this interview, he immediately said he thought the idea qualified as "the dumbest idea of the week," but eventually assented... Read more |
| |
Settling
by Sharon Astyk
 Most of us are here where we are without substantial ability to change our circumstances in a deep material sense. I think this observation is true, but painful for many people - that is it is possible that we may move about, it is possible that we may change jobs. But we are on a gradual slide away from... Read more |
| |
Sacred Shrines and Skinny Chickens
by Albert Bates
 In the world of climate policy, the argument has been shifting. It used to be between a few global warming Cassandras and hoards of global warming deniers, and that arguing got, well, pretty heated... Read more |
Energy Bulletin Featured Media
Deconstructing Dinner: Permaculture at the Blue Raven Farm
 Deconstructing Dinner revisits with the topic of permaculture... a concept and philosophy that has grown significantly in popularity since we first aired a show on the topic back in 2006. In September 2008, Deconstructing Dinner's Andrea Langlois visited The Blue Raven Permaculture Farm on Salt Spring Island British Columbia. Farmers and Instructors Brandon and Patti Bauer escort Andrea around the farm and describe the principles of permaculture as they apply on their particular parcel of land. We then travel to San Francisco, California and then off to Devon, England where we take a glimpse at two more of the many examples of how permaculture is being adopted worldwide... |
| |
Crop to Cuisine: The Global Food Crisis
 In this episode Crop To Cuisine speaks with Joel K. Bourne Jr. author of National Geographic Magazine's June cover story, The End of Plenty - The Global Food Crisis. We discuss the relationship between food, agriculture, population growth, and the consequences of ignoring it all. We are also joined by Chef Ann Cooper. Chef Cooper spent years redesigning the Berkley, CA school food system. She now makes her presence known in Boulder, Colorado, where she is working with others to overhaul the system - replacing processed foods with fresh and healthy ones. And lastly, we get tips on how to transform a garden into a community building experience from CSU Extension agent, Carol O'Meara. |
| |
Peak Moment 149: Santa Barbara Students Lead the Way to Sustainability
Take a personal tour with members of Santa Barbara City College's Student Sustainability Coalition. They're propelling action — bringing fresh, local organic produce daily to the salad bar, and placing recycling bins in the cafeteria. |
| |
What Bicyclists Really Want
 This episode of Equal Time Radio mostly discussing Jeff Mapes' book Pedaling Revolution: How Cyclists Are Changing American Cities with the author, plus Vermont cycling issues.
Photo: Tony Hall/flickr |
Back to top
6. Transition US update
A monthly update from the US regional hub of the international Transition Towns movement.
This month, we welcome three new Official Transition Initiatives in the US, bringing the total to thirty-eight:
- Transition Culver City in California, which is the first pod of Transition LA
- Transition Sunnyside, the first "Transition Neighborhood" of Portland, Oregon, and
- Transition Media in Pennsylvania.
Check out the initiatives map and learn more about becoming an Official Transition Initiative. |
| |
| We also have some new stories about the wonderful projects that Transition Initiatives are working on. Here is a highlight: |
| |
 News from Transition Whidbey: The residents of Southern Whidbey Island, located in the Puget Sound near Seattle, were galvanized into action in 2007 when they learned about Totnes' plans to "relocalize" and thought, "We've got an island with clearly defined boundaries, an engaged population that cares about our community, lots of potential for rural farming, and a supportive local government. Let's give it a try!"... Read more. |
| |
| Webinars |
| The Transition US webinar series we have been working on took a mighty leap forward this month. Cynthia Clay and Leo Brodie of Net Speed Solutions (their Seattle-based training company) have offered to host webinars, train presenters and record sessions for us as their contribution to supporting Transition in the US. Look for our special announcement with dates, topics and presenters on TransitionUS.org in early September. |
| |
| For more updates on Transition, read our newsletter and subscribe to our mailing list. |
Back to top
7. Events
Post Carbon Institute Events
 Three of Post Carbon's urban experts will feature in a special PCI evening event at the Resilient Cities: Urban Strategies for Transition Times conference October 20-22 in Vancouver, British Columbia.
The conference, featuring Paul Hawken, Majora Carter, and many other internationally-recognized speakers, will focus on how cities and urban regions in North America can prosper in the face of growing sustainability challenges. Participants will advance their thinking on three key subjects:
- best current practices for managing sustainable urban systems;
- capturing opportunities in the green economy; and
- strategies for building widespread sustainability collaborations.
The Post Carbon panel --a "shoulder event" the evening of Tuesday, October 20th--will be an honest conversation on what cities truly face in a world of growth limits, and what citizens and leaders can realistically do to cultivate local resilience. It features Bill Rees (Our Ecological Footprint), Anthony Perl (Transport Revolutions), and Warren Karlenzig (How Green is Your City?), and will be moderated by PCI Program Director Daniel Lerch (Post Carbon Cities).
"Resilient Cities" is organized by Gaining Ground in association with Smart Growth BC and the Canadian Society for Ecological Economics. Register for the conference at gaininggroundsummit.com. |
| |
 An evening with Bill McKibben: sharing the 350 message
October 2, Santa Rosa, CA
Post Carbon Fellow Bill McKibben, leading efforts to build the first global-scale climate change movement, will discuss the significance of the number 350, the 350.org campaign, and the importance of the upcoming International Day of Climate Action on October 24th.
For further event information see www.scdsevents.org. |
Post Carbon Institute Speakers Schedule
 Sustainable September Spokane - A Post Carbon Economy webcast
September 17, Spokane, WA
As part of a month of events under the banner Sustainable September Spokane, Post Carbon Senior Fellow Richard Heinberg will present via webcast on the theme of A Post Carbon Economy.
For more information about the event see the community-minded.org |
| |
 Iowa Enviromental Council Annual Conference
September 25, Ankeny, IA
Post Carbon Senior Fellow Richard Heinberg will be giving the keynote address at the IEC Annual Conference. Also presenting will be Michael Brownlee and Lynette Marie Hanthorn of Transition Boulder as the conference explores transitioning to a post-fossil fuel economy while being subjected to more unstable climates...
For more information on this event see www.iaenvironment.org. |
| |
 Findhorn - Positive Energy 2 - Building Bioregional Resilience
October 3-9, Findhorn, UK
Post Carbon Senior Fellow Richard Heinberg will be presenting via video link. Also speaking at the conference will be Post Carbon Fellow Rob Hopkins.
For more details see the conference website. |
| |
 ASPO 2009 International Peak Oil Conference
October 11-13, Denver, CO
Post Carbon Fellows Richard Heinberg & Chris Martenson as well as Board Member Nate Hagens will be taking part in this year's conference. Reflecting on a tumultuous year of major swings in the price of oil and the world economy, the ASPO 2009 International Peak Oil Conference zeros in on the vital links between oil and money.
For more information on this event see www.aspo-usa.com/2009denver/. |
| |
Featured Events
 The Muddy Boot Organic Festival
September 11, Portland, OR
Post Carbon Fellow Bill McKibben will be giving the Keynote address at the 4th annual Muddy Boot Festival in Portland. The festival also includes workshops, local food and drink and music...
For more information on this event see www.muddyboot.org. |
| |
 Society of Environmental Journalists Annual Conference
October 9, Madison, WI
Post Carbon Fellow Bill Ryerson will be a panelist in a session on population and the environmental health. He will be joined by Biologist Paul Ehrlich. The conference runs from October 7-11...
For more information on this event see www.sej.org/initiatives/sej-annual-conferences/AC2009-agenda. |
| |
 Bioneers Conference 2009
October 16-18, San Rafael, CA
The Bioneers 2009 conference brings together social and scientific innovators to focus on solutions inspired by nature and human ingenuity. Among the speakers will be Post Carbon Fellows Bill Ryerson and David Orr.
For further event information see www.bioneers.org. |
| |
 October 24th: Global Day of Climate Action with 350.org
October 24, Global
Bill McKibben, Vandana Shiva, David Suzuki and everyone else at 350.org invite you to participate in an international day of climate action on October 24, 2009...
For more information on this event see www.350.org/invitation. |
| |
 Leadership in Sustainability 1st Annual Awards Dinner
November 7, Windsor, CA
Post Carbon Fellow David Orr will be the keynote speaker at this event. The dinner will recognize and celebrate community leaders who have displayed remarkable achievements in creating socially, economically and environmentally sustainable communities.
For more information on this event see http://ecoleader.org/event2009-awards.html. |
Back to top
|
issues
support pci
Hope, Human and Wild
