Monthly Archives: January 2014

One thing we have learnt this week – blackouts set to become more common

This week two academics have warned we can not necessarily rely on a future without blackouts.  They warn resource scarcity including peak oil, the rising dependency on electricity and more controversially renewables will make blackouts more likely. The paper by … Continue reading

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The implications of jubilee

In the last post we had a very brief look at the idea of jubilee. In this follow up post I am going to suggest how we might if not have something similar, at least follow the spirit of the … Continue reading

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One thing we have learnt this week- renewables target dropped

This week the EU decided not to have a renewables target beyond 2020.  The EU did agree to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 40% on 1990 levels and produce 27% of its energy from renewables by 2030.  Does this lack … Continue reading

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What about the jubilee?

What can we learn from the biblical idea of the jubilee?  I was reminded of this over the last week by a number of things.  First, the disappearance of Mikaeel Kular in Edinburgh.  I went to help search for him.  … Continue reading

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One thing we have learnt this week-fracking again

The big energy news story of the week in the UK is again fracking.  It doesn’t seem to go away.  With apologies to our overseas readers here we go again.  The story so far is as I see it; In … Continue reading

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Why don’t we repair anything anymore?

Why don’t we repair anything anymore?  This is the question that the Guardian asked recently and which met with an enormous response.  And its a good question.  When I was younger it was common to have a variety of products … Continue reading

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One thing we have learnt this week-Demark carbon free

All this week BBC Radio 4’s consumer programme “You and Yours” has been visiting Denmark which has pledged to go carbon free by 2050.  As the rows over energy prices in the UK continue in the new year, the programme … Continue reading

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Implications of a steady state economy

What are the implications of a steady state economy?  As part of a occasional series of alternative economics I want to look at some what in my view are pressing economic questions based around peak oil. In Third Way magazine … Continue reading

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