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Are we seeing a world of opportunity these days, or are we in a world of trouble? The paragraphs below summarize some of the most important things that went on in 2007 and are likely to be hot topics again in 2008.
(Tip: Links to outside sites have the site name in parentheses after the link; links without parentheses after them go to Grinning Planet articles.)
This is it for us for the year—we're taking December off. Happy holidays!
Ethanoholics — The US government (and others) are pushing for big increases in ethanol use, ostensibly to compensate for tightening petroleum supplies and to fight climate change. Good news, right? Not really. Ethanol has a barely positive "net energy" ratio, and even if all of the US corn crop were converted to ethanol—farewell, beloved corn chips—it would barely make a dent in the total petroleum requirement for US cars. The following George Monbiot essay takes a more global perspective as it shows what rotgut the ethanol plan really is:
"An Agricultural Crime Against Humanity"
(at Monbiot.com). So, what should our energy plan be instead? For thoughts on this, check out the Grinning Planet article on
real energy solutions.
Climate Changesaurus — Thanks partly to the movie
An Inconvenient Truth
(Amazon.com) and persistent Gorefication, the US populace is finally starting to get it. Not get it as in "let's change our lifestyles to solve the global warming problem" (which is what's really required), but at least they're getting it along the lines of "they should do something about it" (whoever they are). Hopefully, by now people also understand the differences between weather vs.
climate change vs. global warming
And while the nattering nabobs of negativism continue haggling over whether
environmental hypocrites
on the left are better or worse or more carbony than the heapin' helpin' of
environmental hypocrisy
on the right, actual measurements of sea ice and other factors are indicating that scientists' climate change models have greatly underestimated how fast the serious effects of global warming will begin hammering us.
GastroPod People — Each January often brings attempts at dietary change. It's really just the basics we need to focus on—minimizing baddies like booze, junk food, sugar, and saturated fat while maximizing goodies like pure water, fresh vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and nuts. You may want to incorporate a few thoughts from these GP articles in your New Year's regimen:
Health Benefits of Organic,
Living Food vs. Dead Food,
Chocolate and Health.
Dollars and Devils — As long as we're on the subject of things that threaten your well being, you reeeaaally need to be paying attention to what's going on in the financial world. The fat-cat bankers and slicksters on Wall Street have really done it this time. The sub-prime mortgage mess is just the tip of the iceberg. And don't think that your innocence in these matter will protect you from getting hit with the blowback. For historical background on how we got here, try William Clark's book
Petrodollar Warfare
(Amazon.com)—or delve into the coverage of the financial fricassee via the financial section Grinning Planet's
audio news page.
And for further information on how oil factors into the equation, see the archived GP article on
the US oil war.
Converging Crises — The list of global challenges seems to go on and on: High gas prices and an apparent peak in global oil production; a fast-melting Arctic and climate change tipping points; big trouble in the money system, an imploding US dollar, and looming global depression; shortages of fresh water; a swirling, Texas-size Charybdis of
plastic trash in the Pacific Ocean
(Best Life online); toxic chemicals permeating everything everywhere, seemingly endless military conflicts over limited resources.... The brilliant author and speaker Richard Heinberg details the problem of converging crises in his new book,
Peak Everything
(Amazon.com). "We the peeps" can continue dancing and ordering drinks aboard the USS BusinessAsUsual, or we can start implementing real solutions like reducing waste with a
New Materials Economy
or throwing out our current crop of corrupt politicians (that's both parties, folks) and replacing them with someone better—or something better, like
Direct Democracy.
Closing Thoughts — "Wow—that sure is a lot of negativity, dude!" Yeah, sorry. On a more positive note, there are solutions available to you. The most important steps for you to start taking ASAP next year are to go local and reduce your reliance on the grid. Taking action toward that end can make you healthier, save you money, and insulate you from a lot of the messes described above. Start with these three Grinning Planet articles: (1)
The Need for Re-Localization, (2)
Local Food and Farmers Markets, and (3)
Home Solar Energy. Also consider this book:
Storey's Basic Country Skills: A Practical Guide to Self-Reliance.
Best wishes to all of you for 2008!
Know someone who might like this 2007 Eco Wrap-Up? Please forward it to them.
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