I’m certainly not the only one to notice that the price of petrol crept over the $2 per litre mark in New Zealand this week. I’m sad and worried again though. I’m not so worried about the price rise itself (although I was stunned that it happened a lot sooner than I thought it would) as I am about the way so many people seem surprised that it’s happened at all.
My way of dealing with the worry is to plan two new garden beds.
Richard Heinberg, the author of The Party’s Over: Oil, War and the Fate of Industrial Societies and Powerdown: Options and Actions for a Post-Carbon World, will be giving public lectures in Auckland and Wellington next month. If you can’t make either talk then you should at least look at some of his books! For more details see this page.
Richard Heinberg Auckland public talk
Co-Hosted by the Green Party and Engineers for Social Responsibility
Lecture theatre B28
(Under University Library)
Auckland University
5 Alfred St
Wednesday 10 October
Time: 6:30pm
Richard Heinberg Wellington public talk
Hosted by the Green Party of Aotearoa/New Zealand
Lecture Theatre 1.
Rutherford House
Victoria University Pipitea Campus
Bunny St
Thursday 11 October 7pm
I’ve been too busy to blog. It’s mainly the continuing excavations in the garden but also I’ve taken on a part-time job in the evenings. I think it’s a good sign that I’ve been doing more gardening than reading (or writing) about gardening.
By the way, peak oil has popped up again in New Zealand’s mainstream media. This time as a cover story in the New Zealand Listener. It’s well worth hunting out, especially if you’ve just asked “peak what?”.
So Peak Oil is making the evening news in New Zealand now.
When petrol in New Zealand first crept over the $1 a litre mark my husband agreed that we’d get rid of the car when petrol hit $2 a litre. It looks like we’ll be doing it soon. I wonder if he remembers that he said that?
And, because I’m such a lazy blogger, here is another link to Casaubon’s Book. Sharon explains it much better than I can at this time of night.
I know I haven’t posted much this month. I’ve been busy reading stuff offline! Mostly cheerful and uplifiting works in the same subject area as in previous posts.
What to worry about more: climate change or peak oil?
I’m worried about both of course! Although peak oil is at the top of my list just at this moment. Read this.
So what has this to do with bread? Well, baking bread is new skill that I’ve learned and am fairly good at now. And new skills are helping me feel like I’m doing something concrete to prepare.
The next step is learn how to make sourdough and then I’ll have one less thing to buy at the supermarket!
“No one would open mines, drill for oil, smelt metals, erect and operate power stations, build factories or smother land with fertilisers, pesticides or weed killers if we did not buy their products.”
From Green living : personal action to save our environment / David Green.
*sigh* I’ve been reading more than I’ve been gardening this week. Mostly The Party’s Over : Oil, War and the Fate of Industrial Societies by Richard Heinberg.
I have to get off my lazy, dithering arse and do something…
