The Tao of Christmas December 23, 2006
Posted by Graham in : General , 2commentsAs we come up to the time of year which unfortunately has become a festival of Mammon - the high-point of excessive consumption of resources- it might be an appropriate time to contemplate an alternative path that we might consider.
Christmas was originally a mid-winter festival to celebrate re-birth of the sun after the Solstice, the darkest time of the year. As such, it was also a time to explore the dark side of things, to slow down and “go within”, following the natural rhythms of the seasons.
However, the successful rebirth of the Sun was essential if the crops were to grow and life to continue. At these latitudes, there must have been tremendous symbolism and significance attached to this point of the year amongst cultures that were intimately involved with food production for their survival. (more…)
Three Essential New Peak Oil Books from New Society December 12, 2006
Posted by Graham in : General , add a commentRichard Heinberg: The Oil Depletion Protocol- A Plan to Avert Wars, Terrorism and Economic Collapse New Society Publishers 2006
The third of Heinberg’s books on peak oil, the Oil Depletion Protocol deals with an international response to the coming energy crises first proposed by oil geologist Dr. Colin Campbell. The idea is straightforward: each oil producing nation should reduce its production to keep in line with the oil depletion rate- ie. the rate at which the earth is consuming the remaining oil reserves; and following from this therefore that each oil consumer should reduce their consumption at an equivalent rate. This would allow the world to slowly adjust to declining energy supplies and allow time for preparations to be made to switch to renewables and re-localise our economies. (more…)
Vital Viewing: Crude Impact December 8, 2006
Posted by Graham in : General , add a commentThe latest Peak Oil film Crude Impact was premiered at the Emergence Festival at the Cultivate Centre on the 2nd of December. US Film-maker James Wood came to Dublin with his wife Jennifer to introduce the film.
Emergence Festival December 12th 2006 December 8, 2006
Posted by Graham in : General , 1 comment so farThe World Café Symposium in Dublin last weekend- part of the Emergence festival organised by the Cultivate Centre in Temple Bar- brought together speakers and participants from the areas of ecology, psychology and art to explore the issue: “How will we transform our values and thinking to respond to climate change and oil peak?”
World Café is an open space event based around the principle that the best conversations at conferences take place during the coffee breaks; so why not organise a conference in which the whole event is like a long coffee (or herbal tea!) break? (more…)
