Never did I think, in 70 yrs, that I wd be living in the country that elected the stupidest President ever — twice! & thus sowed the seeds of its own decline & earned the ridicule of every other country in the world. I am ashamed of every person who voted for this chaotic, destructive fool & his merry band of idiots instead of a [gasp!] woman.
It's not just China. Even Ethiopia, a nation in a continent rife with corruption and foreign dependence, has built a mega-dam on its own, funded by its citizens. I wrote about it here:
What befuddles me most is this simple question - the republicans claim to be “conservatives”. But what could be more “conservative” than conservation of this planet, which we all depend on for our daily sustenance, our very survival?
What we do to this planet, to “Mother Earth”, we ultimately do to ourselves. The earth will survive, but will WE, as a viable species?
i think that a few elite tech dreamers are thinking they will somehow escape to Mars, as we and the planet perish. The truth is that won't happen. we are mostly doomed. it is really sad that a handful of rich #$#%#%$^s are mortgaging the future of the earth and all life on it for another 40 years of profiteering. The global inequality numbers are staggering. This is the real issue (well, one of them). I wish those dreamers would piss off to Mars right now...
Get over it! Republicans are NOT Conservatives, except as in conserving for themselves (as opposed to commonwealth) access to all resources, which they deem important. They will gladly use & hide behind any handy moniker - Conservative, Constitutionalist, Free Speech Advocate, Fiscally Responsible
There is even more to the China story. Motivated to get off fossil dependency, particularly oil, by national security concerns, they have also invested heavily in the bioeconomy. Indeed, it was part of the last Five Year Plan. They need alternatives to petrochemicals.
The mashup benefits are amazing. BYD is looking to use mushroom leather for its upholstery.
Amory Lovins called upstream / downstream energy efficiency benefits “Negawatts” (a word that started out as a typo. I’ve expanded the definition to materials for the book I’m working about the materials transition (working title: “The Dividend: how everything we make can be made better.”)
The “dividend” is when better ideas / processes begin to arc across sectors. Mushroom leather’s has negawatts in water, land use , energy, while EV’s negawatts include reduced CO2 and particulate emissions and energy resiliency).
The future is full of better “business as usual” scenarios. The story today does not need to be the story tomorrow.
Thank you again, Bill, for another substantive, well-researched, and optimistic post. One of many things I value about your writing is that it helps me keep things in perspective, which is so hard these days, given the bubbles most of us live in. The reality that the U.S. is not the center of the universe, despite the Trump regime's childish branding, is liberating in some ways. Trump and his enablers are bringing on a self-fulfilling prophecy of the economic decline they claim to want to reverse, and that will hurt a lot of people, but there are many perspectives through which to understand our situation and ourselves. I'd like to believe that this process of harnessing solar power and other renewables is shining a light in more ways than one.
"European nations will have to take a bunch of gas or they will face ruinous tariffs—it’s a shakedown, not an argument, and it couldn’t be more thuggish."
This is the Trump regime's approach in a nutshell, not just vis-à-vis Europe.
I've been on solar for almost 30 years and only about 1/4 of my roof covered in panels is enough to run my entire home. With the increased efficiency of appliances and solar panels, I can update my home system frequently and affordably. As the home grows, the power system grows.
Yes, the current government of the USA has no concept of long term consequences. We'd be much better seceding (I live in California.) Everything I do is based on the future my son will face. I told him eight years ago I didn't want grandchildren.
Thank you, Bill. I'm going to be on Martha's Vineyard where there is a small event at the West Tisbury Library. I am also going to look for "the Perogi Man" at the farmer's market and thank him for refusing to sell Allan Dershowitz a perogi!
Unless I know a U.S. corporation or company is opposing the trump agenda, I will opt for a foreign competitor when buying, when possible. And I would gladly buy a Chinese EV, if it was a better and more affordable option.
It's not just China. Even Ethiopia, a nation in a continent rife with corruption and foreign dependence, has built a mega-dam on its own, funded by its citizens:
Never did I think, in 70 yrs, that I wd be living in the country that elected the stupidest President ever — twice! & thus sowed the seeds of its own decline & earned the ridicule of every other country in the world. I am ashamed of every person who voted for this chaotic, destructive fool & his merry band of idiots instead of a [gasp!] woman.
It's not just China. Even Ethiopia, a nation in a continent rife with corruption and foreign dependence, has built a mega-dam on its own, funded by its citizens. I wrote about it here:
https://kainesianmacro.substack.com/p/the-gerd-gambit
Excellent read.
What befuddles me most is this simple question - the republicans claim to be “conservatives”. But what could be more “conservative” than conservation of this planet, which we all depend on for our daily sustenance, our very survival?
What we do to this planet, to “Mother Earth”, we ultimately do to ourselves. The earth will survive, but will WE, as a viable species?
i think that a few elite tech dreamers are thinking they will somehow escape to Mars, as we and the planet perish. The truth is that won't happen. we are mostly doomed. it is really sad that a handful of rich #$#%#%$^s are mortgaging the future of the earth and all life on it for another 40 years of profiteering. The global inequality numbers are staggering. This is the real issue (well, one of them). I wish those dreamers would piss off to Mars right now...
They are working to conserve white men and be damned to the rest of us. That's all they want.
Get over it! Republicans are NOT Conservatives, except as in conserving for themselves (as opposed to commonwealth) access to all resources, which they deem important. They will gladly use & hide behind any handy moniker - Conservative, Constitutionalist, Free Speech Advocate, Fiscally Responsible
Get over it?!?!?
Do you actually believe that I can’t see exactly what’s been going on for DECADES?
I was being SNARKY. It was SARCASM.
And guess what… I’ll NEVER GET OVER IT!
There is even more to the China story. Motivated to get off fossil dependency, particularly oil, by national security concerns, they have also invested heavily in the bioeconomy. Indeed, it was part of the last Five Year Plan. They need alternatives to petrochemicals.
The mashup benefits are amazing. BYD is looking to use mushroom leather for its upholstery.
Amory Lovins called upstream / downstream energy efficiency benefits “Negawatts” (a word that started out as a typo. I’ve expanded the definition to materials for the book I’m working about the materials transition (working title: “The Dividend: how everything we make can be made better.”)
The “dividend” is when better ideas / processes begin to arc across sectors. Mushroom leather’s has negawatts in water, land use , energy, while EV’s negawatts include reduced CO2 and particulate emissions and energy resiliency).
The future is full of better “business as usual” scenarios. The story today does not need to be the story tomorrow.
Negawatts..!
Bravo!
Micro grids serving small areas would obviate tne need for long transmission lines and be less vulnerable in adverse weather.
Thank you again, Bill, for another substantive, well-researched, and optimistic post. One of many things I value about your writing is that it helps me keep things in perspective, which is so hard these days, given the bubbles most of us live in. The reality that the U.S. is not the center of the universe, despite the Trump regime's childish branding, is liberating in some ways. Trump and his enablers are bringing on a self-fulfilling prophecy of the economic decline they claim to want to reverse, and that will hurt a lot of people, but there are many perspectives through which to understand our situation and ourselves. I'd like to believe that this process of harnessing solar power and other renewables is shining a light in more ways than one.
"European nations will have to take a bunch of gas or they will face ruinous tariffs—it’s a shakedown, not an argument, and it couldn’t be more thuggish."
This is the Trump regime's approach in a nutshell, not just vis-à-vis Europe.
I hope Europe tells him where to go.
I've been on solar for almost 30 years and only about 1/4 of my roof covered in panels is enough to run my entire home. With the increased efficiency of appliances and solar panels, I can update my home system frequently and affordably. As the home grows, the power system grows.
Thank you so much, Bill. This article is honestly medicinal. Beyond grateful for your work.
Yes, the current government of the USA has no concept of long term consequences. We'd be much better seceding (I live in California.) Everything I do is based on the future my son will face. I told him eight years ago I didn't want grandchildren.
Lots of positive news. Thanks Bill and TA.
Great analysis. Thanks Bill.
It was great to hear you in Houston on Thursday evening!
Thank you, Bill. I'm going to be on Martha's Vineyard where there is a small event at the West Tisbury Library. I am also going to look for "the Perogi Man" at the farmer's market and thank him for refusing to sell Allan Dershowitz a perogi!
Unless I know a U.S. corporation or company is opposing the trump agenda, I will opt for a foreign competitor when buying, when possible. And I would gladly buy a Chinese EV, if it was a better and more affordable option.
"a full squad of police around me, even when I went to the men’s room" - er, what was that about, Bill?
(I remember talking to a group of public universities in Texas before COVID. They pleaded with me not to mention climate change.)
It's not just China. Even Ethiopia, a nation in a continent rife with corruption and foreign dependence, has built a mega-dam on its own, funded by its citizens:
https://kainesianmacro.substack.com/p/the-gerd-gambit