This is an essay I wrote several years ago...

This essay is a rant which is not necessarily 100% bullet proof but there is some logic in it.


Energy Crisis…. What Energy Crisis?

First let me say that I think saving energy is a good idea. I am also
an avid fan of the recycling program and I take it very seriously. I
am pedantic about separating my waste materials.  But all that aside
I am a little disappointed that the media,  public, governments and
all humankind in general have bought into the energy crisis myth so
completely.

What am I talking about? Think back to the 80’s and the last economic
crisis. Leading up to, and into the economic slump at that time we
heard a lot about OPEC and their schemes to manage the price of oil
and we all blamed OPEC for the outrageous price of energy. Did they
just vanish? Not likely; but now its our fault as consumers. And I
think it’s strange that since the 80’s energy is now marketed as a
brand name.  Energy resellers,  splashy commercials,  logos and
graphic design to make our hearts swoon. Hold on a minute; I’m a
graphic designer and they told me in school that every time you hear
or read the word “save”, without exception, you are being sold
something.

So now we have a new economic slowdown across the globe and in spite
of OPEC the public has had about all it can take. Even living under
the illusion that we are responsible for our own energy costs as
consumers we  can’t take the rising costs any more. The reality is
that we don’t even want to save money. It goes against human nature.
We see “save” but we read “buy me”. Case in point: If a couple had
$10,000 for a modest down payment on a starter home and were all set
to buy when the parents gave them another $10,000 would the couple
save the money. Probably not; they would buy a bigger house. We live
to excess every time.  We always want more. If a compact florescent
light saves us 75% compared to incandescent do we put that saving in
the bank? No we buy four times more light for an even bigger house
with even more lighting. Our SUV is parked in the two car garage and
we still complain about energy costs. More to the point, every baby
that’s born adds to our energy consumption and there is no way we
will ever get ahead of that. The more we get ahead, the more babies
we have, and the more we over succeed ourselves.

This isn’t only about oil. Every other business, corporation,
government or lemonade stand has tried to sell us the same crap. I’m
not saying this is some HUGE conspiracy; (I’m not a conspiracy nut)
this is just everyone buying into the same fiction OPEC started. We
all believe it and maintain it but it is propaganda. More like a mass
hallucination than a conspiracy.

Think about this. If we wanted to alleviate the energy crisis here in
Ontario we would need to spend money to build more power generation
plants. Here is the problem; we would spend tens of millions of
dollars, to have the net result be less value in the market. We would
spend money to earn less. It is not economically viable to even
attempt to relive the energy crisis. Energy producers LOVE the energy
crisis. They produce half the product and sell it at twice the price.
Where is the incentive to resolve the crisis?

The truth is if there is any crisis it is more like an economic or
market crisis. A “supply and demand” plateau. It is a man made crisis
where we have reached the terminal velocity on the energy market. We
can no longer push the market any faster or any further.

Finally, I wouldn’t want to seem to clever but if I were to make a
prediction I’m guessing that the 2010’s will be a new crisis creating
a market out of thin air. Maybe branding fresh air or clean water.
Privatization of tap water delivery and branding and bottling fresh
air. I don’t know how they will do it but mark my words because I’ll
wager those marketing guys will think of something. One way or the
other it will not have anything to do with saving the planet or
saving money or saving anything else. It will be all about making
money and managing markets.

Welcome all Big Thinkers

Ok, Here it is....

I'm calling on all big thinkers to come and argue the random musings of an old guy who is frustrated at the idea that the best ideas the corporate world can come up with to save the planet are contained in such gems as CFL light bulbs and plastic bag tax.

I'm calling on scientists and designers; economists and ecologists; couch potatoes and businessmen.

Really I'm looking for some people who can put some real fact into some of the ideas I've had lately about how one would really go about fixing some of the problems the world faces today.

I'm a designer. A designer by definition is a solution guy. When I see something doesn't work I fix it. But the world is too big; I can't fix it by myself and I need your help.

Now I'm not a scientist or an engineer. I don't have a lot of data but I do know quite a lot and I can tell you from the perspective of an armchair critic that most of the "ecological" solutions we are buying into at the moment are at best "bandaid" solutions and most are totally wrong headed.

So what is the REAL answer? What are some REAL, LONG TERM SUSTAINABLE solutions?

Paying 5¢ at the grocery store to get the same bag you got for free a month ago? I think NOT.

OK I get it that some of this stuff takes money and I actually do understand where the 5¢ goes but really this is not a solution. I also understand that it must be proven the the public at large is willing to pay more for their products to realize real change, but I think over the past TEN YEARS we have proven that already! Isn't it time for some real change?

What are the problems we face? Plastic, fossil fuels, energy prices, depleting resources, pollution.... the list could go on and on.

What are the obstacles we face to real change? Big business, Big Oil companies, economic forces, government indifference and lack of will (or is it just red tape?)...

I invite all big thinkers here to hash it out in a big wrestling match to see what we can come up with.

I thank you all, in advance, for whatever contributions you submit. Please try to keep it sane, polite, focused and respectful to all contributors.