| Archive for Downsizer For an ethical approach to consumption |
| JB |
Britons creating 'more emissions'Probably not news to most people hereBritons creating 'more emissions' |
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| cab |
And not news that this chap says it. I heard him say more or less the same thing in a talk he gave months ago. | ||
| JB |
It's also a large part of the theme of his recent Sustainable Energy book, perhaps not unreasonable that he repeats the message several times. But being mentioned on the Beeb does get a little more public awareness of the message. | ||
| cab |
Not a bad book actually, but when you challenge him he does admit that the practicality of what he's saying may be questionable. The obvious question is whether we'd have enough land left for sustainably producing food.
His starting premise is interesting; can we produce as much energy as we're using now, but sustainably? I think that the correct conclusion to draw from his work when you look in to it is that we maybe, almost could, but the changes in lifestyle and land use in doing so would be a lot more painful than using less energy! Anyway, he's the only author I've ever met who said 'here's my book, but don't feel a need to buy it, its lower impact to read it online'. He's a good chap. Edit: And if you get a chance to go to a lecture or talk he's giving on the subject, go. He's very entertaining, and well worth collaring for a chat afterwards. And he turned up to the one I went to by bike 
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| JB |
Quite a good book and does at least put some numbers on what's acheivable and has the endearing quality of saying "don't just beleive me, do the numbers yourself" but also quite annoying in parts. He almost seems determined to attack the Americans for anything whatsoever and to a lesser extent Britons, e.g. he rolls the last two hundred years of emissions into his figures and then declares that we now are guilty because of what someone else did in the past. | ||
| cab |
Well, as we're still reaping the economic benefits of industrialisation (and other less developed nations will suffer more as a result) he's got a point. But generally I agree with you.
I'd say, however, that his numbers are a little flimsy sometimes; and he admits this, there are a number of best guesses in there, but he's done a very good job overall. The only problem I have is that he doesn't emphasize enough just how utterly massive the task is; when you get down to it, the proposals he's made for generating that much energy are way more than just radical. |
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| shaunb |
Because we're al FAt self centrered low educated CHAVS | ||
| Rob R |
You speak for yourself 
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