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quote:
It would be very easy to get tossed back to a horse and buggy existence. Or more like foot transportation. While we will not loose the technology, it would be very easy to the loose the means to afford to purchase it.
The dollar has lost nearly 20 percent against other major currencies this year. This is a real erosion and real loss of capital. The expectation and trendline projected by most credible economists is to continue in the same manner through 2008.
There as well, is a very serious possibility that that the dollar could become weak enough to loose reserve status. Again, this would affect fuel prices, costs in general, and certainly not help employment.
Hawaii isn't the most prosperous place to begin with, at least for non-retirees. Local economy may well be all that's had.
Just wait til China asks for their money back. I also have heard that there are rumblings about Saudi Arabia considering pinging their oil to the Euro-and why wouldn't they? Boy would that hurt us. We are so close to so many more problems with our money. It will be up to the next president to work this out-or we are in a world of hurt. The current one is too stupid to chew a pretzel.
Edited by - nanawalejulie on 11/03/2007 19:42:46
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My radical 2 cents:
The sooner we run the oil supply down, the better. Buy Hummers!
When the profit motive is removed from sucking the earth dry of oil, we then may have peace and we will develop the alternative power that we will have to without it. Necessity is the mother of invention.
Peace, Dan
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quote:
...
While the large scale use of biofuels is pretty hard to support in a world facing food shortages--ethanol in Hawaii could make a good deal of sense. It's easily done on a homestead level as well.
When will some one figure out how to harnass coquis or their sound for energy?? Oh wait! Thats a different thread.
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quote:
My radical 2 cents:
The sooner we run the oil supply down, the better. Buy Hummers!
When the profit motive is removed from sucking the earth dry of oil, we then may have peace and we will develop the alternative power that we will have to without it. Necessity is the mother of invention.
Peace, Dan
If it were only that simple. Meanwhile, all the pollution does what? In my city we have a cloud over us. It is hard to breathe and we have days where you shouldn't open your windows or go outside if you are elderly or have breathing problems. Not quite the best plan, but I do get your intent.
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quote:
While the large scale use of biofuels is pretty hard to support in a world facing food shortages--ethanol in Hawaii could make a good deal of sense. It's easily done on a homestead level as well. A good reflux still will turn 5 gallons of guava mash(14% sugar content?) into about a liter and a half of 94% ethanol.
It makes a fine cooking fuel as well, and may provide an alternative to gas.
High pectin content fruits produce a higher amount of methanol than grain fermentation processes, and if to be used for purposes "other" than fuel the yield will be slightly less as the "heads" need to be discarded.
This looks like it could be something interesting to try. If one doesn't use the results in a vehicle or fuel for a cookstove, some sort of new version of Okolehau comes to mind. 
What does one use to run the still with? Wood? Maybe a solar cooker of some sort? Should we all start planting guavas? They will grow without a lot of mechanical aid and if they were planted on a hillside with some sort of chute to catch the fruit even harvesting could be done with not much machinery.
A lot of folks are running diesel engines off of reclaimed cooking oil after they do some sort of process to it. It may be that buying cooking oil at Costco will be cheaper than buying gasoline. At least for a little while, though.
quote:
Why is oil the sacred commodity? It's an important part of our lives to be sure, but so is food and good single malt scotch.
Brad, Oil IS food! Farmers can't farm the amount they do without oil to run the tractors. Also a lot of the fertilizers are oil based. Then, as farmers start growing crops for fuel instead of food there will be less food. The Mexican government is already subsidizing the price of corn so folks can afford tacos. That is because the price of corn has skyrocketed because it is being burned as fuel in cars instead of fed to people.
"I like yard sales," he said. "All true survivalists like yard sales."
Kurt Wilson
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As I was thinking about this topic today, it became so simple as I reasoned things out.
If we all lived off the grid-who would make money off of us?
If our roofs were covered with solar panels and we all collected the rainwater-who makes money?
If we had a vehicle that was using a clean, renewable-noncrop-energy, who would make money?
It is all about the almighty dollar. There is already other ways to make energy. No one has decided that making the car's income is enough. It has to be the car's income and some way to have a regular income on top of that.
People are more greedy than they are interested in this planet's well being and the health of others. Until that changes-we will be dealing with this issue for a very, very long time.
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Yes oil is food and now that the corn subsidies are once again renewed, ethanol that is being pushed for oil replacement from corn is impacting the cost of food at the super market also. From highfructose corn syrup (so unhealthy yet once dirt cheap, also helped to end the sugar industry in this country!) to cereal, tortillias, and cornstarch, you name it there is a large impact.
Here gas prices increased 19 cents in a week. National average for a gallon $2.91, here in Nor Cal $3.19.
mella l
Edited by - mella l on 11/05/2007 05:18:42
mella l
Art and Science
bytheSEA
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Will we get to 100 by the end of the week?
Man lived for millions of years with out electricity, oil etc.
Some people gripe about GW and pollution and in the same breath complain about fuel prices.
What is even more hypocritical, they want no drilling or tankers anywhere. This is the same fool that buys 16 oz bottles of water and thinks spending resources to recycle the bottle justifies the plastic bottle.
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"... Will we get to 100 by the end of the week? ..."
Yeah......I remember those days.......
Puna: Our roosters crow first
