Book Review – The Party’s Over
I went back in time this week (if you can call five years ago back in time) and read Richard Heinberg’s, “The Party’s Over“. I was curious to see how the thinking about our addiction to fossil fuels and the need to adopt renewable energy has changed. Well, it really hasn’t.
Like many other authors who wrote books about oil during this time frame, Heinberg talked a lot about America’s (and the world’s) love affair with oil and discussed, at length, when America and the world would succumb to peak oil. Since most people have come to terms with the theory that we’ve already seen peak oil, most authors don’t focus on this issue any longer. From there he focused on the current and future technologies of renewable energy sources.
It’s interesting to note that Heinberg is a follower of population reduction, a concept that is mentioned in several occasions in the book I reviewed last week, “Green Hell”. Heinberg argues that the ideal population level is around two billion people. This would be a reduction of nearly four billion people. Based on the fact that the world has limited resources (he disagrees with the fact that we can keep saving ourselves with technology) he lists five things our leaders should logically and morally be compelled to do.
- Adopt the ethic of sustainability in all aspects of thinking.
- Institute systematic efforts to improve efficiency in the use of efforts.
- Encourage the rapid development and deployment of all varieties of renewable energy.
- Systematically discourage (through taxes) the consumption of nonrenewable resources.
- Find humane ways to encourage a reduction in human fertility in all countries, so as to reduce the population over time.
The first four in the list are a common theme among authors but where he differs is calling for leaders to reduce the popluation in a humane way. I’m not convinced forced population reduction is humane, period.
Heinberg may have been a little ahead of the energy debate so he published follow-up to this book – “Power Down“. Heinberg 
has been writing and teaching in sustainability and energy for many years to agree or disagree with him, he is one to watch.
You can buy this book or any book I review here. Also, if there is a book you’d like me to review, contact me at jms@4RCommunications.com.
8 Comments »
Mark
Heinberg says that the fuel supply for nuclear power is “virtually limitless,” on page 148, if we use fast reactors. This is probably the way we will go. Recent books like “Beyond Fossil Fools” and “Prescription for the Planet” deal with the Integral Fast Reactor technology.
Randy Park
Joanna,
Interesting idea to go back in time. But I disagree on two points when you say “Since most people have come to terms with the theory that we’ve already seen peak oil, most authors don’t focus on this issue any longer.”
One, in my new book “The Prediction Trap – and how to avoid it” about how we make decisions as we look to the future, I talk about peak oil as an important driving force.
More importantly (and the reason I included peak oil in my book) I don’t think “most” people have a clue as to peak oil. Many people have now heard the term, because it has been in the media, but they don’t get how big an issue it is.
Hopefully your “re-review” will help to continue to spread the word.
Randy Park
Drumbeat: May 2, 2009 | FollowGreen.com
[...] Book Review – The Partyâs Over I went back in time this week (if you can call five years ago back in time) and read Richard Heinbergâs, âThe Partyâs Overâ. I was curious to see how the thinking about our addiction to fossil fuels and the need to adopt renewable energy has changed. Well, it really hasnât. [...]
Drumbeat: May 2, 2009 | EcoSilly
[...] Book Review – The Party’s Over I went back in time this week (if you can call five years ago back in time) and read Richard Heinberg’s, “The Party’s Over“. I was curious to see how the thinking about our addiction to fossil fuels and the need to adopt renewable energy has changed. Well, it really hasn’t. [...]
Christian
The author did not say he wants “forced population reduction”. He said we need “to encourage a reduction in human fertility in all countries, so as to reduce the population over time.”
You made it sound like he wants to kill people, when in fact he wants less births.
Bringing five children into a world that is currently unsustainable; now that is inhumane.
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[...] Book Review – The Party’s Over I went back in time this week (if you can call five years ago back in time) and read Richard Heinberg’s, “The Party’s Over“. I was curious to see how the thinking about our addiction to fossil fuels and the need to adopt renewable energy has changed. Well, it really hasn’t. [...]
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