PowerSwitch

^ Even so, how can you come up with a figure like 1%? That would mean reserves of something like 100 trillion barrels; we'd be swimming in the stuff and there'd be (almost) enough oil for a Ghawar in every country on the planet.

I think that this is a cracking idea and I'm happy to stump up the money for my MP's copy (Jim Cunnigham). I also think it's a good idea to send them copies at the same time - any ideas? Gordon Browns response today was utterly crap beyond belief.. real strength through increased depletion madness I...

^ Yes. Energy security was part of John Hutton's message, though it was slightly ruined by his admission that 50% of the coal burnt in the place would be imported. I realise that Hutton is Minister for Business so - in that chilling phrase - he is just 'doing his job' but it did seem that climate ch...

Just listening to the World at One. John Hutton is on it saying that, as the national economic interest depends on energy use, the building of the powerstation is completely justified, persumably climate change or not. It's not surprising but, my God, it's depressing hearing it being said out loud. ...

It's easy to scare oneself with tales of mobs and torch-lit pogroms and God knows what else but moving abroad also opens up tremendous possibilities and for many people the benefits vastly out-weigh the costs. If one is sensible, makes an effort to integrate, and accepts that there will inevitably b...

New Scientist say: The disease is Ug99, a virulent strain of black stem rust fungus (Puccinia graminis), discovered in Uganda in 1999. Since the Green Revolution, farmers everywhere have grown wheat varieties that resist stem rust, but Ug99 has evolved to take advantage of those varieties, and almos...

It?s a tricky one but if you?ve only got a few thousand pounds, unfortunately I think the decision is made for you. Having said that, although I?m in England at the moment, I lived in Thailand for several years and will be returning for good this summer and although my experience is similar to Erik?...

On the subject of wheat, there's a post on PO.com (http://www.peakoil.com/fortopic35694.html) about a particularly virulent wheat rust fungus, which has moved out of Africa and is currently spreading across Asia. I'm always a bit wary of stuff posted over there but given all the factors which are cu...

As a matter of context, the globe has consumed only one out of a grand total of 12 to 16 trillion barrels underground. How can a 'reputable' (OK, I'm being kind of generous here) newspaper reproduce figures like that? 16 trillion barrels? Are they mental? A couple of years ago, whenever I made the ...

First I've heard of this. What a joke.

Just had a look at the BBC website, which includes this:

"Usual consumption is what the National Grid predicted under "business as usual"."

Thanks for clearing that one up.

Gawd. Second attempt:

It's a good one. On a similar theme, I always like this one (from someone on peakoil.com)

I therefore have great difficulty with people who start telling others in this country not to have children due to overcrowding and problems with sustainability. Of course I understand their reasoning but if birth rates are not the issue then their argument comes over as rather naive and a bit pomp...

Not really. It simply recognizes that making predictions of Doom is easy, is done quite often, and to date have always been wrong. It says NOTHING about whether or not the future will be good, or bad, for individuals, or groups. Here....watch while I demonstrate. "RUN!!! ASTEROIDS ARE FLYING A...

We have four kids. Not having any more now, our family is complete. One thing to say from my own experience is that a larger family does not necessarily mean a straight multiplication of resource use compared with those having smaller families. Our income is not particularly different from a typica...