1 hr 9 min
Consuming Less Energy: Our Critical Transition with Richard Heinberg The Earthshot Podcast
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- Technology
1. Richard Heinberg - Consuming Less Energy: Our Critical Transition
“Nature will win in the end and balance will be reestablished. The question is how is it going to happen and if we're working in the direction of rebalancing things and doing it from the standpoint of minimizing the casualties and maximizing the opportunities of the survivors.” -Richard Heinberg
Richard Heinberg, author and Senior Fellow at Post Carbon Institute, joins hosts Patrick Leung and Armando Davila for a deep conversation on the importance of reducing energy consumption for humanity’s transition to a sustainable existence on Earth. Richard sheds light on the harm that energy consumption causes, the history behind it, and the factors making it difficult to reduce. The discussion then moves to practical ways to reduce energy consumption, countries that are doing so on a large scale, how nature is supporting us in this transition, and how we can work together with nature to create a beautiful and sustainable future.
IN THIS EPISODE:
The impact of affluence on energy consumption
How using energy almost always causes environmental harm
The serious challenges with renewables
The only way the energy transition is likely to work
Why green growth is not enough without downsizing industrial society
Practical ways to live a lower consumption lifestyle
The hidden energy usage behind the green industry
How the field of economics is energy blind
The historical roots of consumerism
The importance of social innovation
How moving away from consumption is an act of resistance
Why continuous economic growth is unsustainable
The importance of periods of economic retraction
The countries that are leading the way in methods for reducing consumption
How consuming less doesn’t need to equate with a less happy life
The importance of conserving wild ecosystems for future generations
Nature’s tendency to always reestablish the balance of power
Why we need more optimistic post-apocalyptic fiction
The power of beauty and nature’s deliberate production of it
RELEVANT LINKS:
Earthshot Labs: www.earthshot.eco
Richard’s Website: https://richardheinberg.com
Post Carbon Institute: https://www.postcarbon.org/
Intro & Outro Music by Little Whale: https://littlewhale.bandcamp.com
1. Richard Heinberg - Consuming Less Energy: Our Critical Transition
“Nature will win in the end and balance will be reestablished. The question is how is it going to happen and if we're working in the direction of rebalancing things and doing it from the standpoint of minimizing the casualties and maximizing the opportunities of the survivors.” -Richard Heinberg
Richard Heinberg, author and Senior Fellow at Post Carbon Institute, joins hosts Patrick Leung and Armando Davila for a deep conversation on the importance of reducing energy consumption for humanity’s transition to a sustainable existence on Earth. Richard sheds light on the harm that energy consumption causes, the history behind it, and the factors making it difficult to reduce. The discussion then moves to practical ways to reduce energy consumption, countries that are doing so on a large scale, how nature is supporting us in this transition, and how we can work together with nature to create a beautiful and sustainable future.
IN THIS EPISODE:
The impact of affluence on energy consumption
How using energy almost always causes environmental harm
The serious challenges with renewables
The only way the energy transition is likely to work
Why green growth is not enough without downsizing industrial society
Practical ways to live a lower consumption lifestyle
The hidden energy usage behind the green industry
How the field of economics is energy blind
The historical roots of consumerism
The importance of social innovation
How moving away from consumption is an act of resistance
Why continuous economic growth is unsustainable
The importance of periods of economic retraction
The countries that are leading the way in methods for reducing consumption
How consuming less doesn’t need to equate with a less happy life
The importance of conserving wild ecosystems for future generations
Nature’s tendency to always reestablish the balance of power
Why we need more optimistic post-apocalyptic fiction
The power of beauty and nature’s deliberate production of it
RELEVANT LINKS:
Earthshot Labs: www.earthshot.eco
Richard’s Website: https://richardheinberg.com
Post Carbon Institute: https://www.postcarbon.org/
Intro & Outro Music by Little Whale: https://littlewhale.bandcamp.com
1 hr 9 min