[Pil-pc-oceania] Is Burning Wood Really A Long-Term Energy Descent Strategy?

[RussGrayson]

Thanks for your response Joel...


On 19/05/08 10:25 PM, "Joel Meadows" <info at thesteinbecks.net.au> wrote:

> Dear Russ,

> I would suggest far more efficient wood heaters, ones that triple
> burn and therefore destroy much of the dangerous particulate matter
> are a much better bet. Direct use of energy is usually the best
> approach. It is the same with those Sunlizard, SolarVent unitsi (or
> the variations out there- solar air heaters) they will never be as
> effective as a north facing window of the same size delivering solar
> radiation right inside the house

Agreed. It's amazing how pleasant it is during winter in a north-facing
room... and without supplementary heating in Sydney's climate. It's even
better in Tasmania's climate. When living in West Hobart I had north facing
windows and the sun poured in to create a mini-greenhouse. Not so good in
summer, though - not my place so I couldn't do any works to control that.
 
> The other thing to keep in mind is that densely populated cities are
> unlikely to have the same attraction they have now in an energy
> constrained future.

For sure, but where would people go and how would they afford to move from
the cities? If the value of their urban property is too low and there are
fewer buyers, as there might be in energy descent, then the option of
selling and buying in a small town or rural area is minimal. Then - what do
they do for a livelihood?

I can be argued that energy wind down could see a great many jobs go,
however this is most likely to led to recession, and then the option of
selling and moving does not exist.

I suspect that even during energy descent the cities will continue to be the
economic foci and thus people will still want to live there.

...Russ

 
> Joel Meadows
> On 19/05/2008, at 8:58 PM, RussGrayson wrote:
> 
>> Yes, I found this on Transitionculture too.