Olympus-OM
[Top] [All Lists]

[OM] Re: Monitor accuracy, was: What Film does your Digital CameraMimi

Subject: [OM] Re: Monitor accuracy, was: What Film does your Digital CameraMimi
From: Jan Steinman <Jan@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Thu, 10 Jul 2008 19:07:22 -0700
> From: John Hudson <OM4T@xxxxxxxxxxx>
>>
>>> From: Rob Harrison <robhar54@xxxxxxxxx>
>>>
>>> Amory Lovins runs the Rocky Mountain Institute. <http://rmi.org/>.
>>> He's a brilliant thinker.
>>
>> ... for someone who thinks hydrogen is going to solve our energy
>> problems.
>
> http://www.economist.com/finance/displaystory.cfm?story_id=11374623


"His [Malthus's] ideas, especially his later ones, were arguably an  
accurate description of pre-industrial societies, which teetered on a  
precarious balance between empty and full stomachs. But the industrial  
revolution, which had already begun in Britain, was transforming the  
long-term outlook for economic growth. Economies were starting to  
expand faster than their populations, bringing about a sustained  
improvement in living standards."

The Economist here mistakes "industrial societies" for "fossil-fuel  
societies." They share the conceit with many others that somehow,  
technology absolves humanity from very basic laws of nature, such as  
those regarding trophic exchanges. We now consume about 50% more  
energy than is collected by all the plants in North America, thanks to  
ancient sunlight recovered from fossil fuel.

Malthus wasn't wrong; he was simply off by a couple hundred years.

Of course, a miracle may occur, and something will come around to  
replace fossil fuel before it runs out. But lacking some miracle like  
cold fusion, the party is coming to an end, I'm afraid.

:::: Modern agriculture is the use of land to convert petroleum into  
food. Without petroleum we will not be able to feed the global  
population. -- Robert L. Hickerson ::::
:::: Jan Steinman <http://www.VeggieVanGogh.com> ::::



==============================================
List usage info:     http://www.zuikoholic.com
List nannies:        olympusadmin@xxxxxxxxxx
==============================================

<Prev in Thread] Current Thread [Next in Thread>
  • [OM] Re: Monitor accuracy, was: What Film does your Digital CameraMimi, Jan Steinman <=
Sponsored by Tako
Impressum | Datenschutz