Comments on: Energy: There is no silver bullet http://theminimalist.net/2006/02/21/energy-there-is-no-silver-bullet/ Everything about less. Wed, 18 Aug 2010 10:27:39 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 By: Barry Teater http://theminimalist.net/2006/02/21/energy-there-is-no-silver-bullet/comment-page-1/#comment-4614 Barry Teater Mon, 28 Jul 2008 03:08:28 +0000 http://theminimalist.net/2006/02/21/energy-there-is-no-silver-bullet/#comment-4614 I agree with the author wholeheartedly. I see such enormous waste of energy in the United States. When I visit a big city, I groan at all of the empty offices needlessly lit up at night. And when I fly at night, I see all of those empty parking lots and deserted streets lit up. How many people leave TVs running when they're not watching them? How many people try to warm or cool their houses to the perfect temperature when it is far easier to heat or cool your body with a little more or less clothing? How many people run clothes dryers when a little fresh air and sunshine will do the job? How much gasoline could be saved by walking or riding a bike to nearby places? If Americans would learn to tighten up their wasteful habits, our energy needs could be halved overnight. Unfortunately, energy has been so cheap and plentiful that we have foundered on it. We need more discipline and smarts in our personal use of energy before we go looking for more oil. I agree with the author wholeheartedly. I see such enormous waste of energy in the United States. When I visit a big city, I groan at all of the empty offices needlessly lit up at night. And when I fly at night, I see all of those empty parking lots and deserted streets lit up. How many people leave TVs running when they’re not watching them? How many people try to warm or cool their houses to the perfect temperature when it is far easier to heat or cool your body with a little more or less clothing? How many people run clothes dryers when a little fresh air and sunshine will do the job? How much gasoline could be saved by walking or riding a bike to nearby places?

If Americans would learn to tighten up their wasteful habits, our energy needs could be halved overnight. Unfortunately, energy has been so cheap and plentiful that we have foundered on it. We need more discipline and smarts in our personal use of energy before we go looking for more oil.

]]> By: Isarian http://theminimalist.net/2006/02/21/energy-there-is-no-silver-bullet/comment-page-1/#comment-472 Isarian Fri, 31 Aug 2007 15:59:26 +0000 http://theminimalist.net/2006/02/21/energy-there-is-no-silver-bullet/#comment-472 The American people's use of energy IS a reflection of the strength of our economy, the way of life we've come to enjoy - a way of life that is stripping the world of resources and that has polluted it to the point of needing decades to centuries of recovery. I do wonder if it would be better for an oil crunch to happen, and for the world to be forced into becoming a conserver society/nations. It would be great to have the silver bullet, but perhaps better and healthier (for individual lives and the world at large) to learn to live slower, steadier lives without it. The American people’s use of energy IS a reflection of the strength of our economy, the way of life we’ve come to enjoy – a way of life that is stripping the world of resources and that has polluted it to the point of needing decades to centuries of recovery.

I do wonder if it would be better for an oil crunch to happen, and for the world to be forced into becoming a conserver society/nations. It would be great to have the silver bullet, but perhaps better and healthier (for individual lives and the world at large) to learn to live slower, steadier lives without it.

]]>