The last oil shock

[ziggy12345]

I just finished The Last Oil Shock" by David Strahan and found it very informative. Most interesting to me was the part about how economists modelled the economy not taking into account energy! This was corrected by Robert Ayres who modelled economic growth with respect to energy. Previous to reading this I was convinced all academic training on economics was wrong. I am glad Robert Ayers proved me right.

Also interesting was a method of individuals trading carbon tax. This was a good idea but it didn't go far enough. Instead of trading carbon we should eventually trade energy directly. If we hadn't invented money in the first place and traded energy directly like we did when bartering then we would not be in this mess

Highly recommended

[Ben]

Trading energy directly? That sounds interesting: "I promise to pay on demand the bearer of this note the sum of 3.6 million joules"

[welshgreen]

I also enjoyed this book, good book for those new to PO as well.

[2 As and a B]

Most interesting to me was the part about how economists modelled the economy not taking into account energy! ... Previous to reading this I was convinced all academic training on economics was wrong.

Have you read Small Is Beautiful?

Instead of trading carbon we should eventually trade energy directly. If we hadn't invented money in the first place and traded energy directly like we did when bartering then we would not be in this mess

Interesting idea. Makes sense.

[ziggy12345]

Any more information? Auther, ISBN, etc..

[mobbsey]

Details of a lot of these book are in the booklist I used in my talks:
http://www.fraw.org.uk/download/ebo/g01/index.shtml

[2 As and a B]

From Mobbsey's list.

Small is Beautiful: A Study of Economics as if People Mattered
E.F. Schumacher, 1993 (new ed.)
Vintage, ISBN 978-0099225614, £7.99, P/B
Although many in the environment movement look to this book as the definitive statement on green economics, it's worth noting that Schumacher also expresses a concern about the effects of the growth of energy consumption.

Small is Still Beautiful
Barbara Wood Schumacher and Joseph Pearce, 2002
Harper Collins, ISBN 978-0007142156, £9.99, P/B
A review of Small is Beautiful, updating its message for the new Century.

http://www.fraw.org.uk/download/ebo/g01 ... ading.html

Interesting to see the books either side in the list (Progress for a Small Planet and Fuel's Paradise: Energy Options for Britain) as I bought them in the early 80s, but not the Schumacher book, which was published in 1973.

First published in 1973, this controversial study looks at the economic structure of the western world in a revolutionary way. Schumacher maintains that man's current pursuit of profit and progress, which promotes giant organizations and increased specialization, has in fact resulted in gross economic inefficiency, environmental pollution and inhumane working conditions. He challenges the doctrine of economic, technological and scientific specialization, and proposes a system of intermediate technology, based on smaller working units, communal ownership and regional workplaces, utilizing local labour and resources.

Small is Beautiful at DODGY TAX AVOIDERS.co.uk

There is also a 25th Anniversary Edition, with commentaries.

On DODGY TAX AVOIDERS.com there are more customer reviews!

http://www.DODGY TAX AVOIDERS.com/Small-Beautiful-2 ... 881791695/

[Tracy P]

The owner of Woodlands.co.uk has just read this book and written a review on it.

http://www.woodlands.co.uk/blog/woodlan ... nd-owners/

Good the news is getting around!