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3 Responses to “Lumberjacks for the Future”
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I know your on to something- i have been active with our enviro for years now and youv’e found a great way to expand to new places- check out what I do with the board of cleanenergy.org- could be a good webcast for you of our portable biodiesel plants.
Best to you,
Michael
Is it fair to say that an off-the-grid house is sustainable? Wind turbines, solar panels, and geothermal heating have less negative impact on the environment than their fossil-fuel powered counterparts, that’s undeniable. The question for me is how do you “sustain” this technology over the long term without some form of fossil fuel?
The manufacturing processes that result in solar panels and wind turbines are energy intensive and require a high level of precision. Not many people could hope to replicate these processes in their backyard shops and certainly not with hand tools. Geothermal heating requires the drilling of water wells initially, and electric pumps and fans continually after installation. Batteries have a shelf life. A conventional liquid filled battery (like you would find in your car) will probably last about 5-7 years if it is being drawn down and recharged continuously.
In order to live sustainable you must be able to purchase green technology from manufacturers who possess the means to produce it, you must be able to transport the technology from the manufacturer to where you live, and you must be able to replace technology (pumps, fans, generator parts, batteries) that will wear out over time.
A green, off-grid-house could likely sustain itself without using any sort of fossil fuel for 5-10 years (depending on preparation and surplus parts supply). So, assuming that your scenario takes place in a world where there is no oil and the economy has completely collapsed, you would have 5-10 years of the good life before you would have to consider alternative means of survival.
The good news though is that if you’re more than 5 years old you’ll probably never have to trouble yourself with this dilemma. Peak oil describes the most oil that will ever be brought to market at one time. After peak oil hits there will still be lots of oil, we’ll just be competing a little harder with each other to see who gets to burn it. Oil prices will go up. Alternative energy technology that has been cost-prohibitive till now will become more feasible as a way to supplement our energy requirements. People will live more frugally, not because they see it as a moral issue but because they can’t afford to live any other way.
Pressure caused by the free market will stretch out the length of time that oil reserves last after peak oil has come and gone. Life will get tougher on the average consumer but it probably won’t change very much in our life times.
In the meantime, oil is $40/bbl, so go out and buy an SUV, go on a cruise, travel to Europe. The party’s not over yet!
i am in awe of your work and am sharing it as much as i can. i don’t see links here to permaculture and would recommend one. anyone who has seen geoff lawton’s work in jordan will immediately see the benefits. the you tube link is: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LJ8pjOG4pXI whether you call it permaculture, transition towns, or tree people, the basic ideas are elegant and simple. good luck!