Aesthete wrote:
I think this video does a great job of elucidating the problems the world will soon face in the years to come, and is arguably already facing. I'm sure most of you are at least somewhat familiar with concepts such as peak oil, alternatives to fossil fuels, exponential growth, etc. This video shows how concepts such as EROEI (energy returned on energy invested) and the tragedy of the commons relate and how they complicate the problems facing civilization. Put simply, the picture of human civilization the video paints is one of a bubble, with the economic system requiring nonstop growth under the assumption of unlimited energy availability, despite natural limitations.
I think there's a lot of optimism about the future floating around out there which at times to me seems to approach naivete. There's an assumption that technology and human innovation will save the day, when in fact technology cannot provide energy. It can only channel it. And more efficient sources of energy can actually even increase consumption, as the video explains.
When the oil runs out we will use coal or nuclear generated electricity. There is plenty of thorium in the world. More than enough to generate what we need. We will develop alternative source precisely when our current sources run out or become too expensive. You will notice they when whales started to become scarce we drilled for petroleum. Its first major product was kerosine to replace whale oil.
There is no such thing as an energy shortage. There is only a shortage of cheap energy.
ruveyn
11 Apr 2012, 5:47 pm
