An Exergy Crisis by John Michael Greer, the Archdruid Report
In last week’s Archdruid Report post, I discussed the difference between energy and exergy, or in slightly less jargon-laden terms, between the quantity of energy and the concentration of energy. It’s hard to think of a more critical difference to keep in mind if you’re trying to make sense of the predicament of modern industrial civilization, but it’s even harder to think of a point more often missed in the rising spiral of debates about that predicament.

The basic principle is simple enough, and bears repeating here: the amount of work you get out of a given energy source depends, not on the quantity of energy in the source, but on the difference in energy concentration between the energy source and the environment. That’s basic thermodynamics, of the sort that every high school student used to learn in physics class back in those far-off days when American high school students took physics classes worth the name. Put that principle to work, though, and the results are often highly counterintuitive; this probably has more than a little to do with the way that even professional scientists miss them, and fumble predictions as a result.

Life After Growth by Richard Heinberg, Post Carbon Institute

I could take no satisfaction from these confirmations of the Limits to Growth and Peak Oil scenarios; being able to say "I told you so" hardly made up for the shock of knowing that our last opportunities to change direction had been missed and that the train of industrial civilization was now not merely still chugging toward a broken bridge, but was actually starting to plummet into the gorge below. We had succeeded somewhat in helping increase public awareness of an issue: due to the efforts of thousands of scientists, writers, and activists, "peak oil" had become a recognizable term in public discourse. But we had failed to budge government policy in more than very minor ways (I had, for example, assisted the City Council-appointed Peak Oil Task Force of Oakland, California, which produced a sensible report on which, so far, little action has been taken).

The world has entered a new era. The project of awakening and warning policy makers and the general public was worthy of the investment of all the effort we could muster. In fact, it would have been negligent of the Limits to Growth authors, Colin Campbell, Jean Laherrère, and thousands of climate and environmental scientists and activists (myself included) not to give it our best shot. But it is now too late to avert a collapse of the existing system. The collapse has begun. It is time for a different strategy.... A new way of life will almost certainly emerge from the wreckage of the fossil-fueled growth era. It is up to those of us who have some understanding of what is happening, and why, to help design that new way of life so that it will be sustainable, equitable, and fulfilling for all concerned. We all need practical strategies and tools to weather the collapse and to build the foundation of whatever is to come after...This will be the focus of my work from now on—and it is likely to be the work of the next few generations as well. Call it Transition, call it cultural survival and renewal, call it what you will, it is the only game in town for the foreseeable future.

Why is this Apocalypse Different from All Other Apocalypses? by Sharon Astyk, Causabon's Book
A lot of what I write works from the assumption that we all agree that peak oil and climate change are happening and going to be life-changing events. And yet, some people who read this blog don't necessarily agree on this subject, or they don't see the effects has being as profound as I do, or perhaps the idea of peak oil or climate change is fairly new to them, and they don't know what to believe. So sometimes, we need to back up, and make the case for something that is always new to some people. The truth is that if my writing is to be anything other than preaching to the converted, we have to answer the skeptics.

That's why I was so delighted when I got an email from Frazzlehead who asked me why this particular energy crisis was different than the one of the 1970s. She observed that she'd been reading 1970s back to the land texts, and finding the exact same narrative in them - that we're running out of oil, that soon the economy will crash and we'll need to go back to farming. Why, she asked, is it right this time?

Food Security and Peak Oil: A Message to Local Citizens and Leadership by Jason Bradford, The Oil Drum

The following is the prepared text for a talk I gave in the city hall of Eugene Oregon the evening of Feb. 17, 2010. It was organized by two Lane County commissioners and the city mayor and is part of a series on Food Security. My role was to discuss food security in the context of peak oil. This speech is similar to one I gave last year that was also posted on The Oil Drum. At the end I recommended people look up The Post Carbon Institute and affiliates for good leads on what ideas and actions are happening in response to our predicament.

My presentation has 4 parts. First, I will connect what is going on in the economy right now with natural resources and the environment. Second, I will explain why oil is an especially important resource and what is meant by peak oil. Third, I will discuss the implications of economic decline and peak oil for the food system. And fourth, I will suggest what families and society can do given our predicament.

Sustainable Bellingham is proud once again to be a sponsor for the Cascadia Workshops NVC Spring Learning Series. Saturday, April 17, 2010 from 10am - 5pm, plus the six (6) following Tuesday evenings, 6-9pm. Taught by Alan Seid, this is an in-depth learning series for the highly acclaimed process for preventing and resolving conflicts, creating rich and powerful relationships, and much more! One full-day Saturday plus six weekday evenings. Register here, or contact Angela MacLeod, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , phone 398-1096.

Where: Explorations Academy Library, 1701Ellis St., between Ohio & State, Bellingham, WA, USA. Cost: $400 Full Tuition •$350 Early Bird Special if paid in full by April 1, 2010  •Includes Snacks & Refreshments •Please Inquire if Needing Financial Assistance. Empowered Communication (also known as Compassionate Communication, Nonviolent CommunicationSM or NVC) is a way of speaking that facilitates the flow of communication needed to exchange information and resolve differences peacefully. It helps us identify our shared values & needs, encourages us to use language that increases goodwill, and avoid language that contributes to resentment or lowers self-esteem. Click here to learn more about NVC.  Download flyer here.

Whatcom County Redefines Prosperity (A Letter from the Future) by Jan Spencer and Samantha Chirillo, edited by Kate Clark for Whatcom County
Jan Spencer's Suburban Permaculture, One Back Yard at a Time, on Peak Moment TV (Video)
Jan Spencer's "Global Trends - Local Choices, DVD Trailer
Energy follows its bliss by John Michael Greer, The Archdruid Report
Efficiency and Resilience: After Jeavons Paradox, the Piggy Principle by Marco Bertoli, The Oil Drum
The Attack on Climate Change Science by Bill McKibbon, TomDispatch.com

Did you know you can add events to our community calendar? We designed this calendar to be a convenient place for community members and organizations to post to and browse for events related to sustainability and creating a healthy, vibrant community. And when you're planning an event, you can check the calendar to see what else might be happening on that date.

Note: If you don't see all the info you want or need in the email announcement, click on the Event title, which takes you to our online calendar. There you'll find contact info, etc. that doesn't show up in the newsletter.  By the same token, if you're entering an event into our calendar, put your contact info into the body of the announcement as well as the contact fields.  More details on how to enter events here.

Envisioning Sustainable Communities by Pamela Courtenay-Hall and Gary Clausheide, Energy Bulletin
A Movement or An Organization? by Joanne Poyourow, Transition United States
Are Cities Becoming as Obsolete as Farms? by Gene Logsdon, the Contrary Farmer
Jeremy Rifkin: The Third Industrial Revolution by Amanda Gefner, Culture Lab (New Scientist)