A review of John Michael Greer’s essay-collection book, Collapse Now and Avoid the Rush, provides a good summary of what is wrong about the post-apocalyptic industrial complex. The basic theme is that industrial civilization, based on short-term consumerism, is doomed and the turning point has already passed. There is little that can be done, and people are unwilling or incapable of taking action that would avoid or minimize the problem.
That Greer self-identifies as a driud is telling, given that little is known about the real druids. They left no writings and the Romans and Greeks, who wrote about them, were hardly unbiased observers. Presumably, the Ancient Order of Druids in America, of which he was Grand Archdruid, relies on mythology and his work betrays that approach. It certainly suggests a bias on his part towards an anti-modern lifestyle, which he appears to not only embrace but allow to influence his thinking. …
“So, apparently all the mechanics I’ve talked to and all the people selling correctives to the ethanol in gasoline are completely off-base, presumably in the pockets of the oil industry. Yet even magazines like Popular Mechanics have weighed in with warnings.”
Back in October, I posted a piece on Forbes.com, “Put Ethanol in People, not Gasoline,” which was prompted by my ongoing struggles to keep my lawnmower functional.
In response, Marc Rauch, executive vice president/co-publisher of the Auto Channel, took exception to my arguments that gasoline with 10% ethanol damages small engines and, more generally, that ethanol does not improve energy security by providing surge capacity to replace lost energy supply.
I respond to Mr. Rauch’s Open Letter to Energy Analyst Michael Lynch below.
Let’s start with his argument that my lawnmower problems were because of gasoline–and solvable by an ethanol-gasoline blend.…
“Depletionists believe that once a production peak is reached, there can be no recovery. This is simply not true when the history of oil production in many regions is examined.”
“Such is the state of Greenpeace ‘scholarship’ where it seems that the Peak Oil choir, out of songs, needs anything to sing. I’ll let you know when this dead horse tries to run again.”
Incredibly, in these days of an oil glut, Greenpeace published a piece by its co-founder Rex Weyler titled Will Peak Oil Save Earth’s Climate? “Given the slow pace of climate action,” he states, “some ecologists have wondered if peak oil production might arrive in time to forestall runaway global heating.”
Others have worried that peak oil and gas would mean higher coal usage and thus more carbon emissions, a question for another day.…