On these aphorisms, Hans Noeldner says, "Did "I" write them? Actually it would be more precise to say they sprang into my head this morning - unbidden and largely complete - as I steamed milk for my latte. Which is typical of many of "my" rantings."
The fact that most of us in the United States are waiting for external forces to suppress our unsustainable and seemingly insatiable levels of resource consumption tells us everything we need to know about the suitability of a consumer-oriented market economy for strategic long-range planning and proactive implementation of appropriate policy measures. It utterly astonishes me that we accept conversations of the sort, “Well, maybe people will conserve gas when prices go up,” and “Until the market starts to run out of oil it won’t signal investors to develop alternative energy technology.” Are these the deliberations of homo sapiens or the terminal generation of yeast cells in beer wort?
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The term “demand destruction” has become quite popular in Peak Oil circles. It would be prudent to give “supply destruction” equal consideration - if not more. Why? Because the latter establishes a much better framework for a species which seeks comprehension of the long view. Roughly speaking, destruction of demand for a non-renewable resource does not manifest itself until a peak in extraction has occurred. Destruction of supply, however, begins as soon as the first barrel is pumped, as the first ton of ore is dug from Earth.
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