permaculture

[Stephen Sherman <spsherm@msn.com>]

Since you asked, I'll offer my take on these possibilities...

Regardless of whether or not this or some of the other "new" energy 
sources ever pan out, if they do it would be an unmitigated disaster for 
the planet and ultimately humans as well.

The big problem is not that we chose the wrong energy source(s) to rely 
upon (ones that give off CO2, or are depleting too fast, or whatever). 
Rather it is that humans have little or no common sense when it comes to 
the systems they create and how they fit into the natural systems of the 
planet on which they live and humans rely. Given a few sources of cheap, 
abundant energy humans have used them to build structures and systems 
that are at odds with the very natural systems they depend upon. 
Ultimately degrading those natural systems to the point that life itself 
is seriously hurt, including human life. This assessment may be harsh, 
but I believe it is accurate.

As we start running into the limits of those existing energy sources, I 
see little indication that we as a species have learned anything 
regarding our mistakes. If we are forced to face the results of our 
actions as conventional energy becomes scarce, we might learn enough to 
avoid making the same mistakes again. If we happen to stumble onto a new 
source of energy before we face our past mistakes, I expect we will 
merely repeat the past mistakes again, on a larger scale.





On 5/8/2010 11:43 AM, Jody Troupe wrote:
> Open Call to Permies-
>
> This doesn't really address the previous question since there was a
> lot there. In fact, it probably complicates it.
>
> I was wondering how the perm. community would feel about a new kind of
> energy - one that is non-polluting, doesn't require an infrastructure
> (like electricity needs power lines), and doesn't require raping the
> earth for oil or coal?
>
> I'm asking because, an energy such as that may allow for the
> continuation of the very things currently regarded as luxurious and
> destructive. If the power source were changed, would things such as
> world travel take on a new light? Or something as simple as having a
> powered vehicle to get around town? Or having lights in your house?
> (Of course, that doesn't fix the toxic nature of the computer. That
> would be a separate topic).
>
> I'm asking because, this possibility IS LIKELY in our future.
>
> How would permaculture look in the face of a new energy that more than
> qualified as sustainable?
>
> If you want to start researching it on your own, here are a couple
> sites. I'm not talking about some guy working out of his garage
> somewhere. There are sustainable forms of energy that have been used
> by some factions for DECADES and these should be available to us. We
> should be furious.
>
> This power IS our future if it can just be brought to light. Here are
> just two of the very brave souls that have been working on it.
>
>
> Brian O'Leary
> Former Astronaut, PhD in Space Sciences, scientist, retired professor
> from Cornell
>
> "Nuclear power. Carbon sequestration at coal plants. Ethanol-from-
> corn. Other kinds of biofuels. Carbon cap-and-trading. Hybrid cars.
> Gas-turbine micropower. Efficient powerplants. Hydrogen economy.
> Hydropower. Geothermal energy. Solar. Wind. Tides. Waves. Ocean
> thermal gradients.
> Which one(s) of these will solve the climate crisis and give us a
> significant push towards sustainability? The sobering answer to any
> truthful inquiry, I am sorry to say, is none of the above. We, in our
> mainstream discourse, are almost literally tilting at windmills.
>
> Only second-generation new energy such as zero-point, cold fusion and
> advanced hydrogen and water chemistries, have the potential to reverse
> humanity’s perilous course towards runaway climate change and
> irreversible pollution. Yet nobody with significant public access
> knows or wants to know this. Why is there such a disconnect about
> this?"http://www.brianoleary.info/None%20Of%20The%20Above.html
>
> 3.5 min. video clip interview available at http://www.brianoleary.info/
>
>
> Dr. Steven Greer
> Retired emergency room physician
>
> "The Orion Project is an organization created to transform the current
> energy, environmental and social crisis into a world of sustainability
> and Enlightened Abundance.
>
> Technological progress in the areas of advanced physics and
> electromagnetic systems, if appropriately supported, will enable
> humanity to live on the Earth with a minimal footprint with genuine
> long-term sustainability.
>
> For over 100 years, these advanced concepts in energy generation have
> either been ignored or actively suppressed due to the power of fossil-
> fuel based economic and industrial interests."
>
> http://www.theorionproject.org/en/index.html
>
> (I personally attended a week-long event held by Dr. Greer. He has
> contracted with a scientist/engineer that has already built  over-
> unity technologies. It is not theory. Please watch the video series on
> the site for more information.)
>
>
>
> JodyT
>
>
>
>