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Brian Ruckman

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We will NOT find an alternative to energy dense, easily transportable conventional oil in time to sustain indefinate economic growth.

All alternative energies have one or more disadvantages that do not let them compete with cheap conventional oil.

Given our industrial civilization depends on massive amounts of cheap energy, the reliance on conventional oil is enormous.

The only quick solution I see is a drastic downscaling of economic activity.

Topics: energy
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    Scarlet Paolicchi

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    Feb 21 2013: This is a concern of mine as well but I do think that with as many brilliant minds as there are, if enough energy, time, money, and focus were given to the task, it could be accomplished! You have to believe and hope that people have a chance to change.
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      Mike Colera 10+

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      Feb 21 2013: You would think so. But, in the words of the great American philosopher Pogo
      " I have met the enemy and he is us"
      Seriously, Mankind has been challenged in the development of his civilization time and again..
      Was it Santiago who said that those who fail to read their history are doomed to repeat it.

    • bart hsi

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      Feb 23 2013: Here are some comment to Scarlet. Your notion of solution to the energy or, more importantly the shortage of resources of healthy living should have a "chance to change" for the better, I presume. But, who have the energy, time money and, more importantly the know-how to improve the eg, garbage disposal or the air pollution. The people in the ghettos hardly are aware of the problems, and additionally they simply don't have the money , the motive and the know-how to tackle these problems. The people living in the "clean area", like what Mark was saying, have no motive to work on these problems, even if they have the money, energy and the know-how, because they don't have the problems of that kind.
      Let's look at a few examples, In most of the major cities, the elite residents usually live in the clean side of the city center opposite and upwind from the industrial area, than the ghetto dwellers will occupy the buffer zone between the industrial area and the clean zone. Example, Chicago have the lakeside for the elite population because there usually are norther wind from the lake throughout most of the year. In the city of Houston, the elite live in the west and northwest opposite to the industrial zone and the ship channel.. Where are the ghettos? They are right to the east of downtown and west of the Industrial area. So those live in the west and northwest don't have to worry about air pollutants, smells from the industry, as well as the garbage dump site at the far east of the city. I don't say that the city governments won't try their hands on improving the health of all residents, but there are only that much they can do., short of moving the groups around by compulsory orders.
      But, the earth ecological system really can't isolate the use of all the resources for all the different units or subgroups. If we reduce the CO2 emission here, but the Chinese or Indians increase theirs, then that'll be a wash, and the global warming problem won't be solved.

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