David MacLeod's Blog (111)

Economics of Happiness

I'm looking forward to the film showing on Saturday, 3pm. The Economics of Happiness . More info at the bottom of this page.

There's a lot of thinking going on these days about what really makes us happy, and what's really important in life. Some articles I've come across...

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Added by David MacLeod on May 6, 2011 at 11:00am — 2 Comments

China, Coal, World Energy Peak, and the Economy

Apologies in advance for the wonkish nature of this post. I hope some will find it interesting...

Flashback to 5 years ago, the following comment on The Oil Drum was a bit of a revelation to me:

"The world economy was saved last year by the increasing World coal production. According to BP, World total energy production grew 2.4% in 2005, but oil only 1.0%. Coal production increased 5.0%, most of it in China (growth 10%, volume well over 30% of the…

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Added by David MacLeod on May 2, 2011 at 10:46pm — 2 Comments

A Peak Oil Update

Interesting news lately on the 'Peak Oil' front. Tom Whipple has been writing a column called "The Peak Oil Crisis" for several years now. His latest article looks at how peak oil is "Killing Off the Recovery." A good article, but most notable is his reporting that the International Monetary Fund has finally acknowledged peak oil (without calling it that): "in a…

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Added by David MacLeod on April 25, 2011 at 11:07pm — No Comments

A Sign of Peak Everything, A Sign of the Apocalypse, and a Sign of Hope

A sign of 'Peak Everything', a sign of the Apocalypse, and a Sign of Hope...and I heard it all on NPR's Morning Edition

A Sign of 'Peak Everything':

Philadelphia Orchestra to File Chapter 11 Bankruptcy

As energy and other resources become harder to get and much more expensive, everything suffers. The age of energy abundance became the 'age of exuberance' as it reached its climax, and we over-extended ourselves with everything. The…

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Added by David MacLeod on April 18, 2011 at 1:00pm — 1 Comment

Local Issues

There are lots of local issues right now that converge with Transition concerns. The biggest issue in my mind is the condition of the drinking water we get from Lake Whatcom. Accessible clean water is the number 1 necessity for us to have any resilience at all.

Other current issues include the proposed coal export terminal at Cherry Point, a proposal for banning plastic bags in the city of Bellingham, and the proposed development of Governor's Point. All of the recommended…

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Added by David MacLeod on March 27, 2011 at 9:48pm — No Comments

Planning for Failure?

I recommend all of the below linked articles. I highly recommend the first one one by Sharon Astyk (also an "Editor's Choice" at Energy Bulletin. Last week I was having dinner with Phil Damon. Remember his Dancing On the Edge columns that were run first in Cascadia Weekly, and then Organic Press? Phil told me of a column he had intended to write, which he would call Murphy's Law Meets The Peter Principle. Most of us know about Murphy's Law: that anything thing…

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Added by David MacLeod on March 21, 2011 at 10:24pm — No Comments

Panel Discussion on Transition at Skagit Human Rights Festival

I had the priviledge last night to sit on a Transition panel at the Skagit County Human Rights Festival, which Chuckanut Transition did a great job of organizing. There was an excellent slide show/movie they made (and included our Great Unleashing video), then a scenario for attendees to discuss, and then Q&A with the panel,…

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Added by David MacLeod on March 11, 2011 at 2:30pm — 2 Comments

Are We Listening to Egypt's Warning?

Chris Martenson has the ability to discuss things very clearly and logically and without excess verbiage. I recommend his latest post.

Egypt's Warning: Are You Listening?

by Chris Martenson

One day, a fruit and vegetable seller was arrested in Tunisia, sparking social unrest, and a few weeks later the government of Egypt was set to topple.

Such is the nature of complex, chaotic, and unpredictable systems. The stresses…

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Added by David MacLeod on February 10, 2011 at 9:43pm — No Comments

Rob Hopkins and Michael Brownlee: A Discussion about 'The Sacred' and 'Deep Transition'

There is an interesting situation currently in the Transition movement, revolving around Transition Trainer, Transition Colorado founder, and former Transition US board member Michael Brownlee, and his call for Transition US to embrace what he calls "Deep Transition," which includes putting "the Sacred at the very core of our work and at the center of all our… Continue

Added by David MacLeod on December 7, 2010 at 6:46pm — 2 Comments

Did You Remember to Vote?

Nov. 2nd is the deadline to get your ballot in the mail, or drop off at one of the drop-off locations. The drop-off near the County Courthouse has changed. Located in the parking lot south of the courthouse.

As I've said before:

Transition doesn't support any particular political parties or candidates, but it does recognize the important role government plays.

Step 6 of the 12 Steps of Transition tells us to "Build a Bridge to Local… Continue

Added by David MacLeod on November 1, 2010 at 10:00pm — 1 Comment

Empowered Communication

Not all of the tools needed for building resilience are physical ones. On day 2 of Transition Whatcom's Great Unleashing, someone mentioned how important it is to make sure we have good communication skills. It has been a subject of discussion numerous times since then - as peak oil bloggers Carolyn Baker and Sally Erickson put it,… Continue

Added by David MacLeod on October 3, 2010 at 12:30pm — No Comments

The Community Energy Challenge

During these times of high energy costs, declining resources, and knowledge about how our energy consumption is affecting the climate, the Community Energy Challenge is a brilliant idea. While the Transition Network has a pilot program called the Energy Resilience Assessment going on in the UK, the Community Energy Challenge is a great pilot program happening right here in Whatcom…

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Added by David MacLeod on September 25, 2010 at 9:00pm — 1 Comment

Please Remember To Vote!

Transition doesn't support any particular political parties or candidates, but it does recognize the important role government plays. Step 6 of the 12 Steps of Transition tells us to "Build a Bridge to Local Government: ... Whether it is planning issues, funding or networking, you need them

on board."

With that in mind, I'd like to encourage us all to vote in the WA state primary. I consider educated voting to be the… Continue

Added by David MacLeod on August 15, 2010 at 9:29pm — 1 Comment

Recommended Audio: To the Best of Our Knowledge

To the Best of Our Knowledge radio: "Sacred Nature"

Bill McKibben lays out a model of how to survive on our changed planet: think small and local. Kurt Hoelting set out to spend a year living within 60 miles of his home (Whidbey Island). Gordon Hempton is one of the world's leading audio ecologists (Olympic Penninsula).… Continue

Added by David MacLeod on May 9, 2010 at 10:36pm — No Comments

Bill McKibbon: Spill Baby Spill?

Spill Baby Spill?

by Bill McKibbon, 350.org

Dear friends,

The oil spreading across the Gulf is a test, pure and simple.

Think of its twisted outline as a Rorschach ink blot for a society--maybe for a whole civilization. Will we respond in ways deep enough to matter? Or will we see nothing wrong in the devastating

images of the oil slick, and continue on this path of…

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Added by David MacLeod on May 1, 2010 at 10:22pm — No Comments

The IEA and World Oil Supply Projections

A front page report November 9, 2009 in The Guardian tells us that "Key oil figures were distorted by US pressure, says whistleblower."

"The world is much closer to running out of oil than official estimates admit, according to a whistleblower at the International Energy Agency who claims it has been deliberately underplaying a looming shortage for… Continue

Added by David MacLeod on November 11, 2009 at 9:30pm — 2 Comments

The Creation of a Local Peak Oil Task Force

The Energy Resource Scarcity / Peak Oil (ERSPO) Task Force of Bellingham and Whatcom County will soon be releasing its report. In preparation, I thought it would be a good idea to provide some background.

In the spring of 2007, local peak oil educator John Rawlins suggested to me that it might be a good idea to pass around a petition in support of a peak oil task force here in Bellingham, Washington. I didn't have time to get a petition drive going, but soon after that… Continue

Added by David MacLeod on November 1, 2009 at 6:30pm — 1 Comment