The first month

Notes from month one (May 2007):

• First read about Peak Oil after following a link on a site about velomobiles - bringing about an instant shift of my focus, better late than never!
• Starting this blog off in the local library having just read the pamphlet, -----, by Robert Anderson (the same person as Robert Atack? with whom I've started a communication?
• Learned that NZ uses 85% of its oil for transport, 5% on farms, 6% for industry, 2% for commercial, and just 0.9% for private use in homes
• One book, Climate Change, ------, that I apparently loaned from the library, has gone missing. Haven't seen hide nor hair of it at home
• Finished reading Kunstler's The Long Emergency, the best book on the topic I've read - eloquent, accurate, organised, even a touch of humour! Sent the author an email but haven't heard back yet
• Otago Polytechnic...
• Climate and locale investigation...
• Financial review...
• Retirement deadline...
• Three books read (mostly) in the past few days are:
• A thousand barrels a second by Peter Tertzakian - a great read with a strong historical perspective (learn everything you never wanted to know about Candlestick makers, whale hunters, and James Watt's business deals) and many informative graphs. Peter's main view is that a situation called break point occurs many times, followed by a a re-grouping or re-evaluation. It seems he is confident of a technical innovation?
• Twilight in the desert by Matthew R Simmons takes a concentrated look at the Middle East oilfields. Only read the last chapter of this. He is incredibly qualified to comment.
• Oil: Anatomy of an industry by Matthew Yeoman - a readable and introductory book on the topic. Strong political focus. A good chapter on the Bush dynasty. Is fairly dismissive of the proponents for an imminent oil peak - swallows the line that we're still good for at least 20 years.
• Plan B 2.0 by Lester R. Brown - a feel good utopian manual for saving the earth. Has a mission. Compares the cost of global defence spending with the amount it would take to fix everything. If you buy 5 or more copies you are automatically in Lester's A team.