I look forward to reading article, even if I stay clear of sorcery;)
But we run out of silver, copper and all the rest and what are we left with? Earth’s boundary was put up long before the melting and wildfires and hurricanes. When we run out of it all, is that when we’ll learn about listening? Something tells me that’s not the best timing. And it’s unlikely to happen. So we’re not just counting our victories and losses. We’re building culture. Otherwise, to sit back and watch it all get destroyed, what does that do to a person? What kind of human do you become when you develop such an ability? I’ve seen people able to throw up their hands and walk away. Whatever dimension these people are living in, I’m not compelled to join them.
Yes, the Honest Sorcerer is a curious name, isn't it?
The fact is, fossil fuels are becoming increasingly hard to extract, therefore more expensive. At some point in the near future, it will take more energy and/or money to pump them out, than the energy gained. At that point, FFs are done, and of course heavy equipment running on diesel is required to produce the materials needed for turbines and solar panels. Kind of a big Catch-22, don't you think?
An interesting question lies in Biden approving Willow in Alaska. There's a body of evidence I uncovered to suspect the US, Russia and China will compete for fossil fuels and minerals as the Arctic melts. Whether that happens or not is guess work. Will it melt fast enough that those resources could be exploited? Or will our machines have stopped by then?
If we had leadership that had a clue and was honest, we would be moving to a model of degrowth, but that's not palatable to politicians and billionaires.
Thanks for the comments, Geoffrey. You may absolutely be right. However, much can be said about the harms and inequities of industrial capitalism. However, one thing that it has been very good at is engineering its way out of problems so far. Ultimately, of course, I agree with the conclusion, but the question is how long will that take and what will be lost in the meantime? My guess would be "too long" and "too much." All the more reason to resist. Hope you're well - and you too, Erica - thanks for your well-stated addition. I'm not compelled to join them, either.
You're welcome, Max. I admire the work you do and the total sacrifice it has taken. Humanity has been clever at harvesting growth, but we are at the end of growth. Can humanity meet that challenge of shrinkage? We've never faced that before. I don't like what I see. I believe individuals like you and I are the majority, not in the "developed" world, but in the real world of those who actually understand the confines of the bountiful natural world if cared for properly. Of course, the developed world has made reasonable, sustainable requests impossible for those attempting to live low impact lives. We both know we won't engineer ourselves out of this as fossil fuels approach the point of negative return on extraction. When that date is will vary by oil project, but over all shockingly soon I think from my research. We are in for tumultuous times, to put it mildly. No doubt you know.
Thanks, Max, for keeping us informed. Barb and I lived in Newport for a couple of months, after we were married in the summer of `73. We did not own a car then, but we hitchhiked and explored up and down the beautiful Oregon coast. Ever since then, that is usually where we go when we need to be with the ocean. We will support the work of Protect the Coast and continue to do all we can to hasten the end of the modern industrial/technological, over-consumptive, disastrous way of being.
"Scientists will attempt to model the impacts of these projects, but there is no way to know for certain without building them and seeing what happens."
'Modeling' is the favorite mode of so-called 'science' because it allows then to dispense with actually knowing anything....
Absolutely. It's a profound reflection of techno-bureaucracy culture to catalogue the progression of ecocide rather than working to stop it. Of course I respect the work that many scientists are doing in working to provide information about the ecological crisis, but what too few people recognize is that most scientists who work on those issues are actually trying to figure out "how can we catalogue and manage these impacts" rather than "how can we eliminate them and stand in solidarity with life on Earth." And getting paid handsomely for it.
If you want to protect the Earth, you can't do better than Max Wilbert. While a compelling writer with deep knowledge, Max puts his own security on the line to defend the planet. He's under suit by powerful multinational corporations for his courageous work at Thacker Pass, NV in tandem with Native Americans watching their land and culture destroyed for lithium mining, a scheme that kicks the can down the road and destroys the most vulnerable, as usual. Real guy, real causes laying it on the line. Support Max.
It's definitely good to see the tribe speaking out, Kathy. And while they do have some more power than average people do, due to the nation to nation relationship they have with the federal government, tribal power is quite limited. The laws, as currently written, mandate consultation with the tribes, but they have no rights of consent or approval over industrial projects like this.
Well... if you worked to scuttle Jordan Cove and the hydro projects, you shouldn't be surprised that these bird-killing windmills are being shoved down our throats.
Max, your concerns are completely justified, of course. A question to ask is if they will even happen. With FFs running out and materials like copper in short supply, this build out of "renewable" energy is unlikely to happen at the scale envisioned and is ultimately a dead end anyhow. The Honest Sorcerer explains this well. https://thehonestsorcerer.substack.com/p/the-energy-transition-story-has-become?publication_id=1498475&post_id=145191028&isFreemail=true&r=putep&triedRedirect=true
I look forward to reading article, even if I stay clear of sorcery;)
But we run out of silver, copper and all the rest and what are we left with? Earth’s boundary was put up long before the melting and wildfires and hurricanes. When we run out of it all, is that when we’ll learn about listening? Something tells me that’s not the best timing. And it’s unlikely to happen. So we’re not just counting our victories and losses. We’re building culture. Otherwise, to sit back and watch it all get destroyed, what does that do to a person? What kind of human do you become when you develop such an ability? I’ve seen people able to throw up their hands and walk away. Whatever dimension these people are living in, I’m not compelled to join them.
Yes, the Honest Sorcerer is a curious name, isn't it?
The fact is, fossil fuels are becoming increasingly hard to extract, therefore more expensive. At some point in the near future, it will take more energy and/or money to pump them out, than the energy gained. At that point, FFs are done, and of course heavy equipment running on diesel is required to produce the materials needed for turbines and solar panels. Kind of a big Catch-22, don't you think?
An interesting question lies in Biden approving Willow in Alaska. There's a body of evidence I uncovered to suspect the US, Russia and China will compete for fossil fuels and minerals as the Arctic melts. Whether that happens or not is guess work. Will it melt fast enough that those resources could be exploited? Or will our machines have stopped by then?
If we had leadership that had a clue and was honest, we would be moving to a model of degrowth, but that's not palatable to politicians and billionaires.
Willow:
https://geoffreydeihl.substack.com/p/massive-alaska-willow-drilling-project
Degrowth:
https://geoffreydeihl.substack.com/p/degrowth-the-vision-we-must-demand
Thanks for the comments, Geoffrey. You may absolutely be right. However, much can be said about the harms and inequities of industrial capitalism. However, one thing that it has been very good at is engineering its way out of problems so far. Ultimately, of course, I agree with the conclusion, but the question is how long will that take and what will be lost in the meantime? My guess would be "too long" and "too much." All the more reason to resist. Hope you're well - and you too, Erica - thanks for your well-stated addition. I'm not compelled to join them, either.
You're welcome, Max. I admire the work you do and the total sacrifice it has taken. Humanity has been clever at harvesting growth, but we are at the end of growth. Can humanity meet that challenge of shrinkage? We've never faced that before. I don't like what I see. I believe individuals like you and I are the majority, not in the "developed" world, but in the real world of those who actually understand the confines of the bountiful natural world if cared for properly. Of course, the developed world has made reasonable, sustainable requests impossible for those attempting to live low impact lives. We both know we won't engineer ourselves out of this as fossil fuels approach the point of negative return on extraction. When that date is will vary by oil project, but over all shockingly soon I think from my research. We are in for tumultuous times, to put it mildly. No doubt you know.
"One harm does not justify another." That about sums it up! Another great piece of writing, Max. Keep it up!
https://scaledown.substack.com/p/war-of-the-world-views
Cheers, Tony.
Thanks, Max, for keeping us informed. Barb and I lived in Newport for a couple of months, after we were married in the summer of `73. We did not own a car then, but we hitchhiked and explored up and down the beautiful Oregon coast. Ever since then, that is usually where we go when we need to be with the ocean. We will support the work of Protect the Coast and continue to do all we can to hasten the end of the modern industrial/technological, over-consumptive, disastrous way of being.
It's an amazing place. Thank you, George.
"Scientists will attempt to model the impacts of these projects, but there is no way to know for certain without building them and seeing what happens."
'Modeling' is the favorite mode of so-called 'science' because it allows then to dispense with actually knowing anything....
Absolutely. It's a profound reflection of techno-bureaucracy culture to catalogue the progression of ecocide rather than working to stop it. Of course I respect the work that many scientists are doing in working to provide information about the ecological crisis, but what too few people recognize is that most scientists who work on those issues are actually trying to figure out "how can we catalogue and manage these impacts" rather than "how can we eliminate them and stand in solidarity with life on Earth." And getting paid handsomely for it.
If you want to protect the Earth, you can't do better than Max Wilbert. While a compelling writer with deep knowledge, Max puts his own security on the line to defend the planet. He's under suit by powerful multinational corporations for his courageous work at Thacker Pass, NV in tandem with Native Americans watching their land and culture destroyed for lithium mining, a scheme that kicks the can down the road and destroys the most vulnerable, as usual. Real guy, real causes laying it on the line. Support Max.
I agree and hope the tribes can stop this travesty in our oceans. Did you know that Bonneville Power (BPA) is planning on a $22 billion dollar project over the next twenty years? The turbines in the dams will be replaced with fish-friendly ones that produce twice as much power. Dams might become the first real green energy... https://www.powerengineeringint.com/renewables/hydroelectric/fish-safe-turbines-turning-hydropower-into-an-environmental-leader/
It's definitely good to see the tribe speaking out, Kathy. And while they do have some more power than average people do, due to the nation to nation relationship they have with the federal government, tribal power is quite limited. The laws, as currently written, mandate consultation with the tribes, but they have no rights of consent or approval over industrial projects like this.
Darn. I was hoping someone had some power to stop it. Unbelievable. 🤬
Well... if you worked to scuttle Jordan Cove and the hydro projects, you shouldn't be surprised that these bird-killing windmills are being shoved down our throats.
Just sayin'
And I guess I shouldn't even bring up Trojan...