The Vegetarian Myth (191)

What we eat is destroying both our bodies and the planet, according to author Lierre Keith, a recovering twenty-year vegan and author of The Vegetarian Myth. While she passionately opposes factory farming of animals, she maintains that humans require nutrient-dense animal … [Read more...]

The Transition Movement Comes to America (139)

One response to the global crisis that is gaining enthusiastic momentum is the Transition Towns movement. Jennifer Gray, a pioneer in the Transition Initiative in the UK and cofounder of Transition US, describes it as "a community-led response to the twin crises of peak oil … [Read more...]

Learning From the Collapse of Earlier Societies (112)

According to Professor Guy Prouty, every civilization rises, evolves, and then collapses to a simpler structure -- and this will include our own. Comparing America with the Western Roman Empire, Prouty notes the over-reach of our military, the unsustainability of capitalism, … [Read more...]

Energy and Climate Initiatives in Santa Barbara

Santa Barbara is serious about lowering carbon emissions. Guided by a comprehensive greenhouse gas emissions study, they're adding solar panels to city buildings, requiring lower energy usage for new buildings, switching to biodiesel and hybrid vehicles, and giving free bus … [Read more...]

Peak Oil, Peak Coal, and Beyond

Hot topics from Richard Heinberg: record-high U.S. fuel prices; the ethanol big-business boondoggle; coal projected to peak about a hundred years early (around 2020); what the climate change discussion is missing; and the benefits of "going local." Episode 63. … [Read more...]