Can Bankruptcy Save the Planet?

In light of the recent news about Greece's economic troubles and possible default I started thinking about the impact of a U.S. bankruptcy. The debt and deficit are growing rapidly and some people feel that it is expanding beyond the economic capacity of the country's ability to repay.  It would be safe to say that this would be economic Armageddon.  However, if the economic model that causes many environmental problems were to collapse would it save the planet?  Consumption, waste and pollution would drop dramatically around the world.  Resource extraction would slow down and help reduce the environmental damage in many parts of the world.  Some would argue that it wouldn't matter much since most of us would be starving because we're broke and have no way to do anything to get money.  I'm not really sure what would happen although I think the buildup to such an event would be long enough that some could prepare.  An interesting scenario to contemplate and maybe one we will experience sooner than we hope. 

GM is Bankrupt. Now What?

Everybody knows that GM is bankrupt.  Many people probably thought it has been for a while. The broader impact is still unknown.  Thousands of people will be out of work and see reduced benefits.  Where is their bailout?  The upsetting part is that individuals have to suck it up and deal with the hardship while companies are too big to fail and have to be rescued.  

However painful this is going to be maybe something good will come out of it.  I hope at some point that we realize a few important things.  GM was an integral part of suburbanization and expansion of our economy.  By extension, this created the environmental difficulties and mass consumerism we are currently living with.  While many may look at the bankruptcy of GM as a business failure it is actually a social failure.  The bankruptcy of GM represents the bankrupt economic model we are currently trying to revive.  It is a reflection of our lifestyle.  When we awaken to this point then we can move forward to create a sustainable economic model that respects the ideals of democracy and free enterprise.

Endangered Elephants

Elephants continue to be displaced from their natural habitat by humans and are facing certain extinction if a solution is not found. In Where Should The Elephants Go?, I learned more about the elephant-human conflict and realized the impact that this issue has with the environment, the elephants and the people.

Also check out Save the Elephants

The Future of Food: How Science Will Solve the Next Global Crises.

The Future of Food is a fascinating article about food production in the modern world. The statistics in it and the way they are laid out could make you fall out of your rocking chair. Wired has done it again with good research and excellent presentation. Check it out and then think about what you're eating and how it got there.

6 Ways to Save Taxes in 2009

With the looming, or happening, economic crisis that is dominating the news these days everybody is looking for ways to save some money. Take a look at this list on how to get tax credits for various energy efficiency and environmental initiatives. As with most of these programs, you need to spend money to qualify for the credit. However, when you factor in the credits with long-term savings on energy chances are you will come out ahead. This is not financial/tax advice so seek the services of a professional. These programs and credits are a great starting point for any green plans you may have.

Solar Power, War and Oil

How are solar power, war and oil related? Read on....

Over the weekend an editorial was written by Eric Margolis which has the title of "These wars are about oil, not democracy". He makes this statement since new oil and gas pipeline and development agreements have been signed in Iraq and Afghanistan. I'm sure many people are shocked by this statement because we all believed that weapons of mass destruction existed and that Osama would be caught and brought to trial. It is a good editorial and ties some things together if you didn't already know.

So the wars are about oil. Despite our best efforts to secure new supplies through these wars the cost of crude continues to rise. Gasoline is rising dramatically and the damage to the economy is around the corner. How expensive is the war? Follow this link to the National Priorities Project and it has a running counter. Right now it is over 530 billion dollars. There are more costs that are probably not captured here and we still need to account for the economic and environmental damage.

What could we have done that would have cost less, achieved energy independence and probably not killed thousands of people. Implement a solar grand plan as outlined in Scientific American. Sure it is on a 40 year timeline but aren't we planning to wage the war on terror for as long as it takes anyway?

The bottom line is that until we change our political and economic systems we will continue on the same path.

All Trails Lead Back to Overpopulation

This article links current population and projected growth to many environmental problems. A well written piece that has compelling arguments.

The only problem I have is with the solution. We either need a lot of people to die or a lot of people to start using/wasting a lot less. Unfortunately, I think the waste reduction will happen after it is too late.

All Trails Lead Back to Overpopulation

Mortgages and the Environment

What could the current mortgage and credit crisis have to do with the environment? Two things in my opinion.

The recent housing craze has driven consumption higher. This obviously has an environmental impact as we consume more and create more garbage. Rising home prices combined with cheap credit fueled consumption in areas such as cars, plasma televisions, second homes etc. Environmental footprints have increased as a result. The relationship between consumption and outsourcing cannot be ignored and the environmental degradation associated with production in developing countries is well documented.

Despite the tangible impact of consumption I feel there is a greater risk looming. Banks, lenders, hedge funds and other investors made risky investment decisions. Now, the risk is being realized. As with most major business/market failures a government bailout looms. Billions were poured into credit markets. As part of pre-election posturing, billions more will probably be given to homeowners who didn't read the fine print and signed up for mortgages that they could not afford. The risk lies in bailing out bad decisions. What if nuclear power turns out to not be so profitable if a distributed model with renewable energy as the source take over? What happens to all those hybrid batteries? What if tar sands are not viable if we move away from an oil fueled economy? Individuals and companies will be making investments in the environment and the future economy. Should we bail out the bad investments in oil exploration, nuclear power and automobiles after we have already subsidized them?

The Global Fish Crisis

A must read!

Still Waters: The Global Fish Crisis