Agrarian Revival at the End of Cheap Oil
Agrarian Revival at the End of Cheap Oil
Maynard Kaufman
(Paper presented at Green Party national convention, Chicago
Illinois, July 13, 2008)
Let me suggest a context for our discussion of agrarian revival by
describing the two major transformations of our food system. The
second transformation will be upon us in a few years as rising prices
for energy will curtail the industrial food system, and I will
explain this in a few minutes. But first I want to describe the first
transformation which occurred during the twentieth century. This was
the time when the availability of cheap energy made the industrial
food system possible. The abundance of cheap energy gave us an
abundance of cheap food, but not without a whole lot of serious
environmental impacts. As Greens we are aware of environmental
impacts, but I want to review some of these impacts so we have some
basis for affirming the changes that will soon be upon us.
The food system in its totality is the largest industry in this
country and uses the most energy. Oil is used in tractors on the
farm, in trucks for transportation of food, in factories for the
processing of food, and to manufacture chemicals used for pesticides
and fertilizers; coal is used to generate electricity for
refrigeration, cooking, lighting in restaurants and supermarkets; and
natural gas, which is also in short supply, is used to manufacture
anhydrous ammonia which has replaced manure as nitrogen fertilizer.
These are only a few examples of how energy is used in the industrial
food system. The average family of four that buys its food uses more
energy in the food they buy than in the car they drive. The burning
of fossil fuels such as coal (for electricity) , along with oil and
natural gas, has long been recognized as a source of air pollution
with acid rain. More recently we have learned to recognize the
otherwise innocent gas, carbon dioxide, as a pollutant that helps to
create the greenhouse effect which may lead to less hospitable
climate.
Continue reading "Agrarian Revival at the End of Cheap Oil"
By Chuck Jordan, August 12, 2008Permanent Link | Comments (0)
Green's Energy Policy
GREEN PARTY OF THE UNITED STATES
http://www.gp. org
For Immediate Release:
Monday, August 11, 2008
Contacts:
Scott McLarty, Media Coordinator, 202-518-5624, cell 202-904-7614,
mclarty@greens. org
Starlene Rankin, Media Coordinator, 916-995-3805, starlene@gp. org
America needs the Green Party's solutions to energy and global warming
crises, not the Obama or McCain plans, say Greens
• Greens call rise of gas prices and demand for expanded drilling a
manipulation by oil companies seeking control over US energy policy
WASHINGTON, DC -- Green candidates and leaders called Barack Obama's and
John McCain's positions on energy policy, gas prices, and global warming
a capitulation to corporate lobbies, and urged adoption of the Green
Party's plan to reduce fossil fuel consumption, generate new jobs in
conservation and new energy sources, and curb the advance of climate change.
"Both the McCain and Obama energy plans privilege corporate profits over
the urgent need to transforms our nation's energy policies. Both Mr.
McCain and Mr. Obama are seeking ways to preserve corporate profits at a
time when the future of our planet is at stake," said John M. Wages,
Jr., Green candidate for the US House in Mississippi (District 1)
(http://www.VoteJohn Wages.com). "Barack Obama's support for nuclear
power and ethanol and his recent turnaround on offshore drilling prove
that he, like John McCain, will not challenge the power and profits of
the energy industry. We need the kind of national leadership on energy
and the global warming threat that's represented by our presidential and
congressional Green candidates."
Exelon, a nuclear power company, is among Barack Obama's top corporate
donors ((Source: Center for Responsive Politics,
http://www.opensecr ets.org/pres08/ contrib.php? cycle=2008& cid=N00009638).
(John McCain's corporate donor list:
http://www.opensecr ets.org/pres08/ contrib.php? id=N00006424& cycle2=2008& goButt2.x= 7&goButt2. y=6)
Oil industry contributions to Democrats and Republicans in 2008 are
already soaring, while the percentage gap between contributions to the
two parties' candidates, though consistently higher for Republicans, has
begun to diminish (Source:
http://www.opensecr ets.org/industri es/indus. php?ind=E01).
Greens said that two factors are behind the demand for drilling in the
Alaska National Wildlife Reserve (ANWR) and in offshore areas,
purportedly to reduce dependence on foreign oil:
(1) The oil companies are manipulating prices to create fear among
Americans to win support for drilling in these areas. In fact, Canada
increased its exports to the States by almost 100 million barrels
between 2005 and 2007, thanks to an oil boom in Alberta's oil sands, and
oil companies have posted record profits recently.
Naomi Klein has written that "drilling in ANWR would have little
discernible impact on actual global oil supplies, as its advocates well
know. The argument that it could nonetheless bring down oil prices is
based not on hard economics but on market psychoanalysis: drilling would
'send a message' to the oil traders that more oil is on the way, which
would cause them to start betting down the price." (The Nation, July
21, 2008, http://www.thenatio n.com/doc/ 20080721/ lookout)
(2) Popular fears over gas prices have given the oil industry greater
leverage over measures to curb global warming at a time when fossil fuel
consumption must be drastically reduced.
Furthermore, Exxon Mobil, Texaco, BP, and other companies are using
their increased leverage during the current gas price panic to win oil
production contracts in Iraq, which will prolong the US occupation
indefinitely. Sen. Obama, while promising a reduction of US troops in
Iraq, would leave a residual occupation force to protect "American
interests," which means US control over Iraqi oil resources.
The Green Party has strongly opposed ANWR and off-shore drilling and
trading of carbon caps, and favors bans on new coal fired-power plants,
new nuclear power plants (as well as early retirement of current nuclear
reactors), and all mountaintop coal removal. The party endorses a
reduction by 90% of mercury emissions from coal-fired power plants by
2012, targeted carbon taxes, investment in renewable noncarbon-based
energy technology, and reduction of CO2 and SO2 emissions by 80% by
2020. These and other policies are listed in a recommendation for
environmental action for a Green President's first 100 days in office
(http://www.gp. org/press/ pr-national. php?ID=58).
"America's first priorities must be conservation and efficiency. The
Green Party has an effective plan to reorganize the economy, create
millions of new jobs in conversion to safe clean energy, conservation,
and expansion of public transportation to replace car traffic," said
Rosa Clemente, nominated by the Green Party as Cynthia McKinney's
running mate for Vice President of the United States
(http://www.rosaclem ente.com). "Such an effort should be comparable to
America's concerted and internationally cooperative effort to defeat the
Axis powers during World War II. But this time we'd be uniting for
peace, since global warming threatens the security of the entire world
in the coming decades."
"Without such an effort, the disaster we witnessed in New Orleans during
and after Katrina will take place on a global scale. Billions of people
will see their homes, livelihoods, health, and lives threatened, while
corporate interests exploit the devastation for more money and power,"
added Ms. Clemente.
MORE INFORMATION
Green Party of the United States http://www.gp. org
202-319-7191, 866-41GREEN
Fax 202-319-7193
• Green candidate database for 2008 and other campaign information:
http://www.gp. org/elections. shtml
• Green Party News Center http://www.gp. org/newscenter. shtml
• Green Party Speakers Bureau http://www.gp. org/speakers
• Green Party ballot access page http://www.gp. org/2008- elections
Cynthia McKinney/Rosa Clemente 'Power to the People' Campaign for the
White House http://www.runcynth iarun.org
2008 Green National Convention, July 10-13 in Chicago, Illinois
http://www.greenpar ty2008.org
~ END ~
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Minutes of Van Buren County Greens, Jan 2007
MINUTES OF THE MEETING OF VAN BUREN COUNTY GREENS
January 20, 2008, at the home of Barbara Geisler and Maynard Kaufman
People attending the meeting: Chuck Jordan, Patrick McKearnan, Julie and David Ludwig, Ryan McCoy, Art Toy, Barbara Geisler and Maynard Kaufman.
The first item on the agenda was a report by Chuck Jordan on the meeting of the Michigan Green Party, from which he had just returned. Green candidates for President of the US were discussed.
The second item was introduced by Maynard who reminded the group that the Greens were, and still are, both a movement and a party. As a movement the Greens can focus on issues that may not be appropriate for election campaigns. The issue to which Maynard called attention was the pressing need for us in this country to reduce our dependence on fossil fuels. This is necessary in order to mitigate the severity of global warming and to prepare for the imminent end of cheap oil. Maynard argued that it is the most important issue facing us and the group agreed that it underlies the war for oil in Iraq and the possibility of other resource wars..
What followed was a brainstorming session in which the group identified actions and policies that could be suggested to different levels of government as ways to reduce use of fossil fuels. Most of these were relevant to South Haven and Bangor and a few were on the county and state levels.
Policies and Actions on the local city level.
Require green buildings with LEED or Energy Star ratings
Monitor energy use in grounds-keeping by the city
Establish and encourage community gardens and community kitchens for food processing
Promote compact flourescent lighting and require energy-saving tips on utility bills
Help people recognize and avoid phantom loads in electricity use
Give public recognition to energy-conscious and energy-efficient businesses
Help to re-establish recycling possibilities with volunteer monitors
Encourage the city to establish regular bus runs from suburbs to grocery stores
Encourage bicycle and walkways along streets.
Encourage schools to teach real life skills, the importance of healthy local food
Encourage energy audits in schools and in the community by the students.
Policies and Actions in Van Buren County
Encourage continuation of home insulation by Van-Cass-Cap
Begin promoting the need for bus service from South Haven to Kalamazoo
Raise the issue of light rail for passengers on the Van Buren Trail
Policies and Actions on the State level
Make building codes more energy-efficient; require more renewable energy
Encourage manufacture of renewable energy equipment in Michigan, discourage coal and nuclear
Raise awareness of the problems with Confinement Animal Feeding Operations
Start a public campaign for a net metering policy that is fair to small scale energy producers
Discourage bottled water in small plastic containers, or require a deposit on them
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"Whichever Way the Wind Blows"
So why did Bush turn away from Wind on the National level?
Whichever Way the Wind Blows
By THOMAS L. FRIEDMAN Op-Ed Columnist
December 15, 2006 The New York Times
http://select. nytimes.com/ 2006/12/15/ opinion/15friedm an.html
Midland, Tex. Time for another news quiz: Which American state produces
more wind-generated electricity than any other? Answer: Texas. Next
question - this one you'll never get: Which politician launched the
Texas wind industry? Answer: Former Gov., now President, George W. Bush.
Yes, there are many things that baffle me about President Bush, but none
more than how the same man who initiated one of the most effective
renewable energy programs in America, has presided over an
administration that for six years has dragged its feet on alternative
energy, used its regulatory powers to weaken efficiency standards for
major appliances and stuck its head in the sand on global warming. I'll
wait for historians to sort that out. But here is some immediate advice
I can give the president: If you want to salvage any positive legacy, it
will not come from Iraq. There are only tears left there. No, the only
way for you, Mr. President, to salvage any legacy is to get back in
touch with your green Texas roots and devote the rest of your term to
REALLY ending America's oil addiction, liberating us from dependence on
petro-authoritarian regimes and making America the leader in renewable
energies that combat climate change. If this isn't the core of Mr.
Bush's next State of the Union, he might as well go back to Crawford
now. At least there he might be able to contemplate what went wrong with
his presidency under lights powered by clean, wind-generated electricity
that he promoted.
Continue reading ""Whichever Way the Wind Blows""
By Chuck Jordan, December 19, 2006Permanent Link | Comments (0)
Defeating the Bill of Rights: Bush's Lone Victory, by Paul Craig Roberts
When a nation so willingly relinquishes its hard-won liberties, it ain't the emperor who's standing around with no clothes on. The people are.
November 22, 2006
Defeating the Bill of Rights: Bush's Lone Victory
By PAUL CRAIG ROBERTS
George Orwell warned us, but what American would have expected that in the opening years of the 21st century the United States would become a country in which lies and deception by the President and Vice President were the basis for a foreign policy of war and aggression, and in which indefinite detention without charges, torture, and spying on citizens without warrants have displaced the Bill of Rights and the US Constitution?
If anyone had predicted that the election of George W. Bush to the presidency would result in an American police state and illegal wars of aggression, he would have been dismissed as a lunatic.
What American ever would have thought that any US president and attorney general would defend torture or that a Republican Congress would pass a bill legalizing torture by the executive branch and exempting the executive branch from the Geneva Conventions?
What American ever would have expected the US Congress to accept the president's claim that he is above the law?
What American could have imagined that if such crimes and travesties occurred, nothing would be done about them and that the media and opposition party would be largely silent?
Continue reading "Defeating the Bill of Rights: Bush's Lone Victory, by Paul Craig Roberts"
By Chuck Jordan, December 03, 2006Permanent Link | Comments (0)
