Peak Oil

It's been awhile since I have added anything to this blog. Sometimes, I wonder, what's the use? But then I think to myself that if I express certain things and lay things out for discussion, then like minded individuals will too. And if there are enough people that agree that certain things have got to change in order to create a better balance, then changes can be made through writing letters to the editor of our local newspapers and our political representatives. We can also vote with our wallets. For example, I buy second hand now since everything seems to be made in China.

The latest thing that has caught my eye is something called "Peak Oil". There are a growing body of people who think this will be a very important issue in times to come. How far away is it? I don't know but I do feel that it's something I will experience in my lifetime. While we ship junk from miles away and also those things we can be growing and producing ourselves, there could be a coming oil crisis.
An interesting link:

http://www.abdn.ac.uk/cops/events/energycontroversies/peak-oil.php

Some Remedial Help for Hard Times

Somehow the urgency of the present hour has eluded the Prime Minister, who needlessly provoked a constitutional crisis in the midst of global economic peril unmatched since the Great Depression, and a governor general who last week abetted the PM's recklessness by overturning precedent in granting him the parliamentary adjournment he sought in order to save his skin. ^{link »}

There's a compelling argument to be made that developing alternatives to fossil fuels – essential to the quest to curb global warming – is a superior form of economic stimulus than reducing taxes or issuing government-rebate cheques. Development of wind farms, solar panels, more energy-efficient small vehicles and rapid transit creates high-paying jobs in R&D, enhances Canada's competitiveness as an exporter of alternative-energy technology, cuts energy costs (another competitive advantage), and reduces our expenditure on imported oil and natural gas. ^{link »}

This is an idea that I really like. Clean energy power grids would pave the way for the introduction of battery operated cars. ^{link »}

It's amazing to me that... Alberta does not see the writing on the wall.While they sit triumphantly praising the leader that's "one of them",the manufacturing industry in Canada is collapsing.If the armchair economists remember anything,they should note that Canada is a net exporter country(ya know - like oil,softwood etc).This gives Canada a small window of opportunity that other countries do not have the benefit of.Only the quarter after the other economies around us fall will Canada realize it's full true pain.Glad to see you rally around a government that has so squandered that precious moment. ^{link »}

"Dirty" oil won't be so attractive with the new President elect either. Canada has a bad habit of relying on "natural resources" instead of diversifying. Our exports have been too dependent on commodities, not goods. It's time for the love affair with cheap imports to end as this is not helping our environment either. ^{link »}

- from TheStar.com | Canada | Leadership AWOL as economy shudders via sharedcopy.com