Podcasts about finite planet

Our guest in this episode, Ramez Naam, is described on his website as “climate tech investor, clean energy advocate, and award-winning author”. But that hardly starts to convey the range of deep knowledge that Ramez brings to a wide variety of fields. It was his 2013 book, “The Infinite Resource: The Power of Ideas on a Finite Planet”, that first alerted David to the breadth of scope of his insight about future possibilities – both good possibilities and bad possibilities. He still vividly remembers its opening words, quoting Charles Dickens from “The Tale of Two Cities”:Quote: “‘It was the best of times; it was the worst of times' – the opening line of Charles Dickens's 1859 masterpiece applies equally well to our present era. We live in unprecedented wealth and comfort, with capabilities undreamt of in previous ages. We live in a world facing unprecedented global risks—risks to our continued prosperity, to our survival, and to the health of our planet itself. We might think of our current situation as ‘A Tale of Two Earths'.” End quote.12 years after the publication of “The Infinite Resource”, it seems that the Earth has become even better, but also even worse. Where does this leave the power of ideas? Or do we need more than ideas, as ominous storm clouds continue to gather on the horizon?Selected follow-ups:Ramez Naam - personal websiteThe Infinite Resource: The Power of Ideas on a Finite PlanetThe Nexus Trilogy (Nexus Crux Apex)Jesse Jenkins (Princeton)Six Degrees: Our Future on a Hotter Planet - book by Mark Lynas1991 eruption of Mount Pinatubo - WikipediaWe cool Earth, with reflective clouds - Make SunsetsDirect Air Capture (DAC) - WikipediaFrontier: An advance market commitment to accelerate carbon removalToward a Responsible Solar Geoengineering Research Program - by David KeithSouth Korea scales down plans for nuclear powerMicrosoft chooses infamous nuclear site for AI powerMachines of Loving Grace: How AI Could Transform the World for the Better - Essay by Dario AmodeiMusic: Spike Protein, by Koi Discovery, available under CC0 1.0 Public Domain DeclarationPromoguy Talk PillsAgency in Amsterdam dives into topics like Tech, AI, digital marketing, and more drama...Listen on: Apple Podcasts Spotify

Are we losing the argument that climate change requires action and investment? Can we balance the need for affordable energy with the costs of decarbonizing hard-to-abate sectors like steel, cement and aviation? And how can we counter the spread of misinformation and populist narratives that undermine support for clean energy? This week on Cleaning Up, Michael Liebreich welcomes back Lord Adair Turner for a deep dive into the state of the energy transition at the end of 2024. They discuss the remarkable progress in technologies like solar, batteries and electrification, but also the political and economic challenges of driving rapid decarbonisation. Turner shares his optimism that we have the technologies to reach net zero by 2070-2080, but also his concern that the pace of change may not be fast enough to avoid significant warming. They explore issues like the role of nuclear power, the need for grid investment, and the complexities of climate finance and international cooperation. This episode grapples with the tension between technological progress and political realities - and how to navigate that divide to accelerate the transition to a sustainable, zero-carbon future as we move into the new year. Leadership Circle Cleaning Up is supported by the Leadership Circle, and its founding members: Actis, Alcazar Energy, EcoPragma Capital, EDP of Portugal, Eurelectric, the Gilardini Foundation, KKR, National Grid, Octopus Energy, Quadrature Climate Foundation, SDCL and Wärtsilä. For more information on the Leadership Circle, please visit https://www.cleaningup.live. Links and moreAdair's book, Just CapitalThe Energy Transitions Commission: https://www.energy-transitions.orgHow China Became a Green Finance Superpower - Ep160: Dr. Ma Jun The Einstein of Energy Efficiency - Ep68: Amory LovinsThe Solar Revolution - Past, Present and Future - Ep173: Jenny Chase⁠Can Exponential Growth Save a Finite Planet? - Ep187: Azeem Azhar The UK Energy Company Creating the Utility of the Future - Ep175: Greg Jackson The Bridgetown Initiator - Ep145: Prof Avinash PersaudHow To Win The Climate Argument | Ep172: John Marshall Is It Ever OK to Promote Fossil Fuels?  TNO's Hydrogen Insights 

As we race towards a future powered by AI and data centres, how will the insatiable demand for energy impact the environment? With the richest companies ploughing billions into energy generation, might there be some unexpected upsides for the climate transition? And can exponential technologies address the climate crisis on a finite planet? This week on Cleaning Up, host Michael Liebreich sits down with Azeem Azhar, founder of Exponential View, to explore the complex relationship between exponential growth, climate change, and the societal implications of transformative technologies. Michael and Azeem delve into the promises and pitfalls of a future shaped by the rapid advancements in renewable energy, battery storage, and artificial intelligence.Exponential View: Listeners of Cleaning Up can receive one year of complimentary access to Exponential View Premium, visit: https://www.exponentialview.co/cleaningup. Offer valid for 7 days starting November 27, 2024. Leadership Circle:Cleaning Up is supported by the Leadership Circle, and its founding members: Actis, Alcazar Energy, EcoPragma Capital, EDP of Portugal, Eurelectric, the Gilardini Foundation, KKR, National Grid, Octopus Energy, Quadrature Climate Foundation, SDCL and Wärtsilä. For more information on the Leadership Circle, please visit https://www.cleaningup.live.Links:Azeem's websiteThe Solar Revolution - Past, Present and Future | Ep173: Jenny Chase Battery Recycling Is Here - But Where Are The Batteries? - Ep165: Hans Eric Melin Separating Hype from Hydrogen – Part One: The Supply Side - Audioblog 3Separating Hype from Hydrogen – Part Two: The Demand Side - Audioblog 4Inside the World's Largest AI Supercluster xAI ColossusAI's $600bn problem

(Conversation recorded on August 6th, 2024)     The damaging effects of humanity's disconnected relationship to Earth's ecosystems are broad and deep. Yet, despite targeted efforts to address these issues and mitigate risks, our insatiable appetite for fossil hydrocarbons continues to grow at an alarming rate. What will it take to reframe our relationship with nature to move forward in a symbiotic, life-supporting path?  In this episode, Nate is joined by longtime colleagues Tom Murphy and D.J. White for an in-depth exploration of the mounting ecological crises driven by human behavior and unsustainable energy consumption. Together, they offer both scientific insights and personal reflections on trends such as the rapid decline in wild animal populations, the rise of microplastic pollution, the overwhelming scale of human-built mass, and many other facets of this unparalleled time in human history.  Why is it so difficult for society to recognize the scale of ecological destruction, and what needs to change to raise awareness? In what ways is academia struggling to provide the systems understanding we need to address the pressing environmental challenges of our time? How could recognizing our kinship with all living beings reshape our relationship with the planet?   About Tom Murphy: Tom Murphy is a Professor of Physics at the University of California San Diego and is the Associate Director of the Center for Astrophysics and Space Sciences. He is also the author of Energy and Human Ambitions on a Finite Planet, and continues to write regularly on the challenges associated with long-term human success through his blog Do The Math.    About DJ White: DJ White is a co-founder of Greenpeace International and founder of EarthTrust.  He has played a leading role in protecting dolphins, whales, sea turtles, and countless other marine animals, including successfully stopping a national dolphin drive kill, and breaking the deadlock in capping the Kuwait oil fires. He was the driving force behind the transition to more dolphin-friendly tuna as well as stopping widespread use of ocean drift nets in the 1980s.    Show Notes and More Watch this video episode on YouTube   ---   Support Institute for the Study of Energy and Our Future Join our Substack newsletter Join our Discord channel and connect with other listeners  

BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get 20% Off Membership in July!) Original Air Date 6/17/2022 Today we take a look at many intertwining realizations that are beginning to permeate society which include but are not limited to the dead-end mentality of infinite growth, the uselessness of growth past a certain point for wellbeing, and the deepening alienation being felt in response to consumerism in place of community. Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com Transcript SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Capitalism is the Planet's Cancer: Operate Before it's too Late George Monbiot - Double Down News - Air Date 1-30-20 “Infinite growth on a finite planet is a recipe for catastrophe” Ch. 2: Degrowth: why some economists think abandoning growth is the only way to save the planet Part 1 - The Conversation Weekly - Air Date 10-28-21 Some economists have long argued that to really save the planet – and ourselves – from the climate crisis, we need a fundamental overhaul of the way our economies work. Ch. 3: Degrowth: liberation from growthism - The Taxcast - Air Date 9-23-21 In this episode, Naomi Fowler explores degrowth and how we liberate ourselves from ‘growthism' with economic anthropologist Jason Hickel. Ch. 4: Our Struggles are Your Struggles: Stories of Indigenous Resistance & Regeneration - Upstream - Air Date 3-21-22 Standing Rock was a pivotal moment in regards to Indigenous resistance — but it was just one in a long line of battles that Indigenous peoples have been fighting against the twin forces of colonialism and capitalism since first contact. Ch. 5: Eco-Socialist Degrowth? w/ Paul Murphy - Rupture Radio - Air Date 5-2-22 Capitalist growth is destroying our life support systems. Every single year the material taken from the Earth to feed the insatiable capitalist appetite for profits grows larger and the waste spewing into the atmosphere, land, rivers, and sea grows bigger Ch. 6: Jason Hickel on how degrowth will save the world (part two) - Politics Theory Other - Air Date 12-19-21 We talked about the concept of 'green growth', and why the notion of decoupling growth from intensive resource use is ultimately unconvincing. We also chatted about the Green New Deal and whether it is compatible with the politics of degrowth. Ch. 7: Infinite Growth on a Finite Planet? (Tim Jackson Interview) - The David Pakman Show - Air Date 9-19-21 Tim Jackson, ecological economist, professor, and author of the book "Post Growth: Life After Capitalism," joins David to discuss consumption, growth, macroeconomics, the modern economy, and more. Ch. 8: Degrowth: why some economists think abandoning growth is the only way to save the planet Part 2 - The Conversation Weekly - Air Date 10-28-21 Some economists have long argued that to really save the planet – and ourselves – from the climate crisis, we need a fundamental overhaul of the way our economies work. MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 9: How We End Consumerism - Our Changing Climate - Air Date 6-4-21 How we end consumerism, explained. Ch. 10: Jason Hickel on International Development and Post-capitalism (In Conversation) - Upstream - Air Date 5-28-20 We spoke with him about international capitalism during the pandemic, new opportunities for degrowth economics, and how to fundamentally move to a post-capitalist world — which will take more than just a shift in economic policy Ch. 11: Post Growth - Life after Capitalism (Podcast with Prof. Tim Jackson - CUSP) - Circular Metabolism Podcast - Air Date 4-28-21 We explored some alternative societal and economic models such as degrowth, living well within limits, permacircularity and we continue our quest by looking into post-growth. MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions)   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Listen Anywhere! BestOfTheLeft.com/Listen Listen Anywhere! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com

As the impacts of climate breakdown intensify, the cost of living crisis takes hold globally, and levels of inequality remain stubbornly high, it begs the question: is our economic system working to meet the needs of people and the planet? The climate science is unequivocal and clear - the 1.5 degree threshold is swiftly approaching, and we can no longer rely on conventional economic models that do not recognize the ecological limits of the planet. Cities around the world are leading the way in establishing innovative wellbeing models, to creating thriving, just and resilient urban environments. This episode unpacks why our current models aren't working and how purposeful government led action at the city level can support shared prosperity.Featured in this episode: “Global wellbeing is at risk – and it's in large part because we haven't kept our promises on the environment” UN Secretary-General António Guterres: https://news.un.org/en/story/2022/06/1119532Featured guests:Katherine Trebeck is a political economist, writer, and advocate for economic system change. She co-founded the Wellbeing Economy Alliance and also WEAll Scotland, its Scottish hub. She is writer-in-residence at the University of Edinburgh's Edinburgh Futures Institute and a strategic advisor to Australia's Centre for Policy Development. She sits on a range of boards and advisory groups such as The Democracy Collaborative, the C40 Centre for City Climate Policy and Economy, and the Centre for Understanding Sustainable Prosperity.Saiorse Exton is an activist for climate and equality, based in Ireland. She founded her local branch of the 'Fridays for Future' movement and organizes nationally and internationally. For her Rise project, Saoirse rewrote Irish mythology from a feminist perspective – foregrounding the strong characters that traditional narratives tended to suppress. She ended her second term as Equality officer of the Irish Second-Level Students' Union in 2022, where she developed a passion for legislative and student-led activism.  She is a member of the C40 Cities Global Youth and Mayors Forum, working with Mayors from around the world to implement change in sustainability policy.Image credit: Equity © Erick M Ramos & C40If you want to learn more about the Journal of City Climate Policy and Economy, please visit our website: https://jccpe.utpjournals.press/Cities 1.5 is a podcast by University of Toronto Press and is produced in association with the Journal of City Climate Policy and Economy. Our executive producers are Isabel Sitcov, Peggy Whitfield, Jessica Abraham, Claudia Rupnik, and Dali Carmichael.Produced by Jess Schmidt: https://jessdoespodcasting.com/Music is by Lorna Gilfedder: https://origamipodcastservices.com/

Is exponential growth possible on a finite planet? How might we balance growth and profit with maximum social and ecological benefit? This is a huge topic that we're just beginning to scratch the surface of. In today's bonus finance episode, we share two differing viewpoints on growth from regenerative economics pioneer John Fullerton and venture capitalist Manuel Gonzalez.  We also include a discussion with Sara Eckhouse, executive director of Foodshot Global, about using Integrated Capital investment models that combine funding from multiple types of financial instruments to fund solutions that address social and environmental issues. Topics covered in this episode include: The failures of the current financial system and the business models within itThe potential benefits of restructuring the ownership of large multinational food companiesWhether we need to build a new system from the ground up with alternative principles and priorities to cope with our current crisesWhat those principles might beThe potential negative impacts of a model that doesn't center growthHow Integrated Capital works and is able to develop novel ideas that could be missed by other financing structures John Fullerton is the founder and president of Capital Institute. He is also an active impact investor and co-founder and director of holistic ranch management company Grasslands, LLC; a director of New Day Farms, Savory Institute, and the New Economy Coalition. Manuel Gonzalez is General Partner at AgFunder, one of the world's most active foodtech and agtech VC investors. Manuel was formerly the global head of innovation for Rabobank, the world's leading food and agriculture bank, and founder of its two startup engagement platforms: FoodBytes! and Terra. Sara Eckhouse is Executive Director at FoodShot Global, whose mission is to empower bold ideas and innovative companies to accelerate the transformation to a healthy, sustainable, and equitable food system. Show notes: Herman Daly Interview Paul Polman Capital Institute AgFunder FoodShot Global - Precision Protein Challenge Donella Meadows: Limits to Growth Neo-Confucianism Karl Popper Albert Michelson S2G Ventures and ocean data David Deutsch: The beginning of Infinity. Timothy Snyder *Giveaway Details* We've teamed up with our partners at New Hope Network to offer ALL of our listeners an exclusive 25% off discount for an Expo West 2023 badge and ONE lucky listener will have the opportunity to win a free booth at Expo West 2024 ($8k value). To enter, do the following by February 17th: Head to New Food Order's show page on Apple PodcastsMake sure you are subscribedLeave us a review - good or bad - but hopefully good! Scroll to the bottom of the page to do so.Screenshot the review and email it to Meg at meg@savageimpacts.com - if you're interested in the 25% discount to this year's Expo, please call it out in the email.  Lastly, head to newfoodorder.org - select newsletter - and register to receive our newsletters. In addition to New Food Order content, AgFunder and Food+Tech Connect publish the leading newsletters for the food and agtech community.Those who follow New Hope Network, Food + Tech Connect and AgFunder on Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn will receive double entry. Follow us on Linkedin: @agfunder & @foodtechconnect This series is sponsored by: New Hope Network New Hope Network is a media, events and business intelligence company, covering natural products trends, industry insights and marketplace data that educate the industry about key issues, like regenerative agriculture, sustainability, responsible sourcing and more. Visit newhope.com. FoodShot Global FoodShot leverages resources from investors around the world to provide non-dilutive, equity, and post-investment capacities to innovators. Find out more at foodshot.org.

In this episode of his "Thinking Out Loud" series, Double D analyzes an interview with John Bellamy Foster, where he discusses his new book, 'Capitalism in the Anthropocene', and his arguments for how capitalism is the driving force behind climate change.Double D analyzes some of the contradictions of capitalism, and how those contradictions are the primary cause of climate collapse. He cites capitalism's inherent obsession with growth, citing a system of "compounding growth" which leads to the economy doubling roughly every twenty-five years. He points out how this contradiction has led to an economy of such a scale that its continued growth is impossible on a small planet with limited resources. He also asks his viewers to consider what this compounding growth has done in just the last two hundred years since capitalism's "coming of age", pointing out that in that time we have already pushed past three of the nine planetary boundaries which lead to climate crisis.Double D goes on to compare this "growth for growths sake" to the modus operandi of a virus or a cancer cell. He dismisses nihilistic points of view that compare humanity to a virus or a cancer cell, suggesting instead that capitalism is the cancer, a cancer which has been allowed to fester for far too long in the civilizational organism. He compares social movements, militant organization, and the movement towards socialism as a medical procedure that can eliminate the cancerous growth of capitalism which threatens all life on this planet.Going on with the video, Double D discusses the failings of social relations which occur under the capitalist system. Citing the article with John Bellamy Foster, he examines our mass marketing consumer culture, which serves as a synthetic replacement for actual human needs such as community belonging and the time and resources necessary to pursue self-actualization.Citing his own recent departure from his job, he notes how much less he has had to consume while not being a part of the 40+ hour a week work grind. He then asks his viewers to consider this on a mass scale, suggesting that part of the transition from capitalism to socialism should necessarily involve using existing productive capacities to ensure that all human beings have the necessities, while requiring them to work far less. He cites the pandemic as an example of how drastically carbon emissions can be cut when human beings are permitted to slow down and simply exist rather than carry on as cogs in a terminal growth machine.Ending the video, Double D ruminates on China's recent push for an ecological society. He uses this analysis as a chance to examine the global south's inevitable economic development, suggesting that without "green reparations" that will help developing countries modernize in a sustainable way, no amount of green initiatives in the global north will be enough to stop the tide of ecological collapse.Closing the video, Double D asks his viewers to comment with their vision of an ecological civilization, with a special focus on how they feel the transition from capitalism to socialism can make that dream a reality for future generations.THANK YOU TO ALL OUR PATRONS!TREY RICHEY - MILITANT TIERPAUL BARENTHIN - COMRADE TIERSEAN GAGNON - COMRADE TIERMATT OCHELTREE - COMRADE TIERBRENDAN OTTO - SUPPORTER TIERAARON MARKEE - SUPPORTER TIERC. BLEYS - SUPPORTER TIERSHONEN RONIN - SUPPORTER TIERDOUG STYCH - SUPPORTER TIERThanks again everyone! In the future our Patrons will be thanked in the roll credits of every episode!Don't forget to join up for even just $1 and have DIRECT input on the direction this channel goes. Gain Early Access to all content, access behind the scenes, and much more!If you can't join just drop a like and a comment for the algorithm!

Winne van Woerden benaderde Marnix na de aflevering over 'groene groei' met Barbara Baarsma. Winne is verantwoordelijk voor de ‘degrowth and care economy agenda' bij Commons Network. Zij stelt dat Baarsma's plan voor groen groeien op de korte termijn niet kan werken. Maar gelukkig is er een andere groei-agenda: post-groei. Hierover schreef zij, met het gelijknamige schrijverscollectief, het boek ‘Er is leven na de groei'. In deze aflevering bespreken Marnix en Winne of ontkoppeling van groei en klimaatimpact mogelijk is, of meer welvaart ook groter welzijn betekent en hoe zo'n economie zonder groei eruitziet. Winne is werkzaam bij Commons Network als programmacoordinator Degrowth & Caring Economy waarmee ze in november 2021 het (Engelse) boek Living Well on a Finite Planet, Buiding a Caring World Beyond Growth schreef. Meer info over het boek en Winne's werk kan je vinden op de website van Commons Network. In de podcast bespreken we het boek Er is Leven na de Groei, waar ze deze zomer aan meeschreef als onderdeel van schrijverscollectief Postgroei. Het boek is vanaf deze week verkrijgbaar, meer info kan je vinden op de website van Postgroei Nederland. Winne is ook onderdeel van Ontgroei, de Nederlandse tak van de internationale Degrowth beweging. Winne zat hier op persoonlijke titel.  Op maandag 31 oktober om 10:00 uur zal professor Jason Hickel, een van de toonaangevende figuren in de opkomende degrowth-beweging, het Nederlandse parlement toespreken tijdens een speciale hoorzitting. Hickel is onder andere de auteur van de bestseller Less Is More, Why Degrowth Will Save The World. Klik hier voor de link naar de livestream.

Air Date 6/17/2022 Today we take a look at many intertwining realizations that are beginning to permeate society which include but are not limited to the dead-end mentality of infinite growth, the uselessness of growth past a certain point for wellbeing, and the deepening alienation being felt in response to consumerism in place of community.  Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com  Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows and Bonus Content) Join our Discord community! Get your audiobooks from Libro! Enjoy online privacy and digital globetrotting with ExpressVPN! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Capitalism is the Planet's Cancer: Operate Before it's too Late George Monbiot - Double Down News - Air Date 1-30-20 “Infinite growth on a finite planet is a recipe for catastrophe” Ch. 2: Degrowth: why some economists think abandoning growth is the only way to save the planet Part 1 - The Conversation Weekly - Air Date 10-28-21 Some economists have long argued that to really save ourselves from the climate crisis, we need a fundamental overhaul of the way our economies work. Ch. 3: Degrowth: liberation from growthism - The Taxcast - Air Date 9-23-21 Naomi Fowler explores degrowth and how we liberate ourselves from ‘growthism' with economic anthropologist Jason Hickel. Ch. 4: Our Struggles are Your Struggles: Stories of Indigenous Resistance & Regeneration - Upstream - Air Date 3-21-22 Standing Rock was just one in a long line of battles that Indigenous peoples have been fighting against the twin forces of colonialism and capitalism since first contact. Ch. 5: Eco-Socialist Degrowth? w/ Paul Murphy - Rupture Radio - Air Date 5-2-22 Capitalist growth is destroying our life support systems.  Ch. 6: Jason Hickel on how degrowth will save the world (part two) - Politics Theory Other - Air Date 12-19-21 We talked about why the notion of decoupling growth from intensive resource use is ultimately unconvincing. Ch. 7: Infinite Growth on a Finite Planet? (Tim Jackson Interview) - The David Pakman Show - Air Date 9-19-21 Tim Jackson joins David to discuss consumption, growth, macroeconomics, the modern economy, and more. Ch. 8: Degrowth: why some economists think abandoning growth is the only way to save the planet Part 2 - The Conversation Weekly - Air Date 10-28-21 MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 9: How We End Consumerism - Our Changing Climate - Air Date 6-4-21 How we end consumerism, explained. Ch. 10: Jason Hickel on International Development and Post-capitalism (In Conversation) - Upstream - Air Date 5-28-20 We spoke with him about international capitalism during the pandemic and how to fundamentally move to a post-capitalist world Ch. 11: Post Growth - Life after Capitalism (Podcast with Prof. Tim Jackson - CUSP) - Circular Metabolism Podcast - Air Date 4-28-21 We continue our quest by looking into post-growth. FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 12: Final comments on the climate legislation currently in negotiations and how to win a Rivian EV TAKE ACTION! LAST CHANCE FOR BOLD CLIMATE LEGISLATION: Demand the Full $555 Billion in Climate Investments in the Budget Reconciliation Package and get it passed ASAP! Call 202-318-1885 (the #Call4Climate number) to automatically contact both of your senators, and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer. What to say: CCAN's email form also includes a call script. Learn more about what's in the current reconciliation bill, what we need to fight for during negotiations, and download state-by-state fact sheets on how the bill would benefit the state you live in. SUPPORT Grassroots Climate Action: Enter the CCAN fundraiser raffle and win a Rivian Electric Truck (or a Tesla up to a Plaid Model S)! Written by BOTL Communications Director Amanda Hoffman MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions) SHOW IMAGE:  Description: An illustration of a green Earth, with a small plant sprout growing out of it. Green arrows encircle the earth against a pale green abstract background. Credit: Nature-Earth-Sustainability | License

Biologist Paul Ehrlich reflects on the 1972 MIT study, The Limits to Growth, on its 50th anniversary – including the fact that it has been refuted (poorly), ignored, and confirmed. The study was done by a team of scientists commissioned by the Club of Rome to develop a computer model to simulate the interaction of earth and human systems. It revealed that continuation of the then-current trends in population, industrialization, resource use and pollution would result in overshooting the carrying capacity of the Earth and result in a general collapse at some point in the first half of the 21st century. The study results were published in the 1972 book, The Limits to Growth, which holds the record as the top-selling environmental book. The book was authored by four system dynamics scientists (Donella Meadows, Dennis Meadows, Jørgen Randers, and William Behrens III). Gaya Herrington, whose 2020 analysis of The Limits to Growth was published in Yale's Journal of Industrial Ecology, described the study and book aptly: “the authors identified society's relentless pursuit of growth not as the solution to, but the cause of, so many of the environmental and social crises that plague humanity still today.” “....what is it about Homo sapiens that leads us to the limits as a moth to a flame.  Why don't we stop?  Why should we?  Can we?”   – Brian Czech, Executive Director of the Center for the Advancement of the Steady State Economy Read The Limits to Growth: Online Read, but includes scans of pages and downloadable charts https://collections.dartmouth.edu/teitexts/meadows/diplomatic/meadows_ltg-diplomatic.html High Quality Scan https://collections.dartmouth.edu/content/deliver/inline/meadows/pdf/meadows_ltg-001.pdf Mentioned in Our Discussion of The Limits to Growth: Limits to Growth 50th Anniversary Events - on Club of Rome website https://www.clubofrome.org/ltg50-events/ UN Event June 2-3: Stockholm+50: a healthy planet for the prosperity of all – our responsibility, our opportunity View live on the web: https://www.stockholm50.global/events/programme The Stockholm+50 Conference: What You Need to Know and Why It Matters https://unfoundation.org/blog/post/the-stockholm50-conference-what-you-need-to-know-and-why-it-matters/ Take this survey before June 2: https://www.stockholm50.global/state-planet-global-public-survey June 10 seminar: Limits to Growth +50: Can Economies Keep Growing Indefinitely on a Finite Planet? Organized by: Norwegian University of Life Sciences https://www.nmbu.no/en/faculty/landsam/department/noragric/research/seminars/node/44433 The Limits to Growth at 50: From Scenarios to Unfolding Reality - by Richard Heinberg https://www.resilience.org/stories/2022-02-24/the-limits-to-growth-at-50-from-scenarios-to-unfolding-reality/ Limits and Beyond (New book April 2022 from the Club of Rome, a collection of essays) https://exapt.press/books/limits-and-beyond Nate Hagens interviews Dennis Meadows in his podcast, The Great Simplification. https://www.thegreatsimplification.com/episode/12-dennis-meadows Dennis Meadows on the 50th Anniversary of the Publication of The Limits to Growth - interview by Richard Heinberg https://www.resilience.org/stories/2022-02-22/dennis-meadows-on-the-50th-anniversary-of-the-publication-of-the-limits-to-growth/ Is Global Collapse Imminent? – by Graham Turner (2014) The Limits to Growth “standard run” (or business-as-usual, BAU) scenario produced in 1972 aligns well with historical data that has been updated in this paper https://sustainable.unimelb.edu.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0005/2763500/MSSI-ResearchPaper-4_Turner_2014.pdf Update to Limits to Growth: Comparing the World3 Model with Empirical Data - by Gaya Herrington https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/jiec.13084 Come On! Capitalism, Short-termism, Population and the Destruction of the Planet - by Anders Wijkman and Ersnt Von Weizscker and with contributions from more than 30 members of the Club of Rome https://mahb.stanford.edu/library-item/come-capitalism-short-termism-population-destruction-planet/ What a 50-year-old World Model Tells Us About a Way Forward Today - by  Gaya Herrington, now vice president of ESG Research at Schneider Electric and member of The Club of Rome's Transformational Economics Commission https://www.clubofrome.org/blog-post/herrington-ltg50/ In this episode, we also discuss these “growthbusting news” items: Walk Or Cycle Instead of Driving, Urges Ford Boss https://www.forbes.com/sites/carltonreid/2022/05/16/walk-or-cycle-instead-of-driving-urges-ford-boss/?sh=2283c3ba3481 New flight of fancy for billionaires – the Air Yacht https://theuglyminute.com/2022/05/11/air-yacht/ Back From a Touring Hiatus, Coldplay Pledges to Make Performances More Sustainable https://www.npr.org/2022/05/14/1098947216/back-from-a-touring-hiatus-coldplay-pledges-to-make-performances-more-sustainabl The European Environmental Bureau has launched a campaign calling on the EU to refocus from GDP Growth to Wellbeing Campaign Page: https://eeb.org/doughnuteconomicsforall/ https://meta.eeb.org/2022/05/12/doughnut-economics-how-to-bake-a-better-future/ The 25% Revolution - film https://vimeo.com/535791169 GrowthBusters Called Me Extreme, So I Responded - episode of This Sustainable Life podcast by Joshua Spodek https://www.podchaser.com/podcasts/this-sustainable-life-593342/episodes/583-growthbusters-called-me-ex-139440528 Mobilising Humanity Film Premier at COP26 - Ed Gemmel described his nightmare in this episode of the Planet in Crisis podcast from Scientists Warning Europe https://planetincrisis.libsyn.com/30-mobilising-humanity-film-premier-at-cop26 Give Us Feedback: Record a voice message for us to play on the podcast: 719-402-1400 Send an email to podcast at growthbusters.org The GrowthBusters theme song was written and produced by Jake Fader and sung by Carlos Jones. https://www.fadermusicandsound.com/ https://carlosjones.com/ On the GrowthBusters podcast, we come to terms with the limits to growth, explore the joy of sustainable living, and provide a recovery program from our society's growth addiction (economic/consumption and population). This podcast is part of the GrowthBusters project to raise awareness of overshoot and end our culture's obsession with, and pursuit of, growth. Dave Gardner directed the documentary GrowthBusters: Hooked on Growth, which Stanford Biologist Paul Ehrlich declared “could be the most important film ever made.” Co-host, and self-described "energy nerd," Stephanie Gardner has degrees in Environmental Studies and Environmental Law & Policy. Join the conversation on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/GrowthBustersPodcast/ Make a donation to support this non-profit project. https://www.growthbusters.org/donate/ Archive of GrowthBusters podcast episodes http://www.growthbusters.org/podcast/ Subscribe to GrowthBusters email updates https://lp.constantcontact.com/su/umptf6w/signup Explore the issues at http://www.growthbusters.org View the GrowthBusters channel on YouTube Follow the podcast so you don't miss an episode:

On this episode, we meet with Professor of Physics at UCSD and the Associate Director of CASS, the Center for Astrophysics and Space Sciences, Tom Murphy. Murphy shows us how continued growth and energy use is an impossibility if continued at our current trajectory. How does physics constrain our planetary ambitions? Murphy helps us do the math. To help us align with a post-growth trajectory, Murphy offers suggestions for how humans can begin to treat nature as well as we treat ourselves — and why we must care about the future in order to create a brighter one. About Thomas Murphy Thomas Murphy is a Professor in the Physics Department at UCSD, the Associate Director of CASS, the Center for Astrophysics and Space Sciences, and is the author of Energy and Human Ambitions on a Finite Planet. From 2003–2020, Murphy led the APOLLO project as an ultra-precise test of General Relativity using the technique of lunar laser ranging. Professor Murphy's interests are transitioning to quantitative assessment of the challenges associated with long-term human success on a finite planet.

Professor David Karoly (pictured) is retired and no longer working with the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) and having shed those shackles he can now present publicly with the honesty and frankness for which he had become known. A story from The Guardian has quoted him:  - "CSIRO has become ‘extravagant consulting company', one of its former top climate scientists says". Meanwhile, holding its form, Juice Media has not held back in its latest YouTube clip - "Honest Government Ad | 2022 Election (Season 2 Finale)". Other Quick Climate Links for today are: "Bushland marked as environmental offset for new Sydney airport bulldozed for car park"; "On track to100% clean energy" - Environment Victoria. "Envision Energy wins 2000MW India wind turbine order"; "Making the talent transition from oil and gas to renewables"; "What Macron's reelection means for climate action in France"; "‘The smell is terrible': toxic foam clouds float through streets of Bogotá suburb"; "This is not an 'Emergency'... It's Much More Serious Than That"; "In a World on Fire, Stop Burning Things"; "6 Months on from COP26 Psycho-Social Reflections: What have we learnt?"; "Financing Putin's war on Europe: Fossil fuel imports from Russia in the first two months of the invasion"; "Amid Hardening Western Resolve, Signs of Russia's Stalling in Eastern Ukraine"; "Droughts to increase human migration at least 200%"; "‘Existential Threat': Indigenous Leaders Urge Citigroup to Stop Backing Amazon Oil"; "House Dems Call On Top U.S. Insurers to End Backing of Fossil Fuel Projects"; "7 TV meteorologists discuss their coverage of climate change and weather"; "The Limits to Growth at 50: From Scenarios to Unfolding Reality"; "Review of Collision Course: Endless Growth on a Finite Planet"; "World population projected to reach 9.8 billion in 2050, and 11.2 billion in 2100"; "A Hotter Future Is Certain, Climate Panel Warns. But How Hot Is Up to Us"; "The Earth is getting hotter due to human activities that release heat-trapping gases into the atmosphere"; "The Extreme Heat Pummeling India and Pakistan Is About to Get Worse"; "‘We cannot afford greenwashing' UN Secretary-General warns at Net-Zero Expert Group meeting"; "Citizen scientists uncover hidden koala population at Heathcote National Park near Sydney"; "Greenwashing accusations as Pepsi goes recycled"; "Why some beaches, including in Queensland, are getting bigger despite rising sea levels"; "No, Mr Morrison – the safeguard mechanism is not a ‘sneaky carbon tax'"; "NZ sea level rising twice as fast"; "Greens vow cannabis reform if successful"; "World's highest hybrid timber skyscraper"; "Morrison inaction, Ukraine conflict weigh on clean energy investment"; "How wildfires increase sensitivity of Amazon forests to droughts"; "Islands on the climate front line"; "Morrison Government's climate record deemed ‘a catastrophic failure': one in four Australians give zero rating"; "Almost the same amount of rain in three days than entire year in London: New Climate Council Report Shows Disaster Off The Charts"; "A Supercharged Climate: Rain Bombs, Flash Flooding and Destruction": "Steamy and stormy: climate change and summer 2021-22"; "New AEMO report: More renewables and storage needed to replace fossil fuels"; "Report: energy guzzling Aussie homes costing homeowners hundreds of dollars a year"; "Victorian food-bowl seat up for grabs in three-way fight over water and jobs"; "Powerlines and potatoes: the renewable energy transmission project causing angst in central Victoria". Enjoy "Music for a Warming World". Support the show: https://www.patreon.com/climateconversations

P141 - Infinite Growth | Tom Smith The Pig Says | Rowan Simmons : Modern War | Angélica Ekeke : Modern War - Single Infinite Growth | Dr Sure's Unusual Practice : Remember The Future? Vol. 2 & 1 Big Yellow Taxi | Louise Sharkey : Declare & Protest Gross Domestic Product | Adbusters-compilation : Adbusters: Live Without Dead Time Eternal Economic Growth | Chrysanth : Fairy Tales of Eternal Economic Growth Infinite Growth on a Finite Planet | the Capitalist Kids : at a loss Capitalism is the Planets Cancer Operate Before its too Late George Monbiot | George Monbiot : Double Down News The Money Flows Up | Tom Smith : Planting in a Drought Talkin' Election | Tom Smith : Planting in a Drought Liberty and Justice for All | Tom Smith : Planting in a Drought We Have Been Here Before | Tom Smith : Planting in a Drought Together We're Strong | Tom Smith : Arrivederci 2020 Brave New Christmas | Anne Feeney : Dump the Bosses Off Your Back www.tomsmithmusic.com www.knowbetterdobetterproject.com #PoliticalMusic Polyrical.com movingtrainradio.com

Content Warnings: Extreme climate change, Ecological/societal collapse, Natural disasters, Hurricanes (loss of shelter, power), Past personal crises   Spoiler Warning: FOUNDATION S1 E1, “The Emperor's Peace” (No spoilers before the 2:00 time mark and after the 6:00 time mark)   LINKS   Deep Adaptation: Navigating the Realities of Climate Chaos (the best single source to understand Deep Adaptation) https://amzn.to/3qEJidu   "Deep adaptation: A map for navigating climate tragedy" (the paper mentioned in this episode) https://www.lifeworth.com/deepadaptation.pdf   Article criticizing the Deep Adaptation paper & movement https://www.opendemocracy.net/en/oureconomy/faulty-science-doomism-and-flawed-conclusions-deep-adaptation/   Professor Jem Bendell's response to the article above https://jembendell.com/2020/07/15/letter-to-deep-adaptation-advocate-volunteers-about-misrepresentations-of-the-agenda-and-movement/   “To criticize Deep Adaptation, start here” https://www.opendemocracy.net/en/oureconomy/criticise-deep-adaptation-start-here/   Prof. Bendell's general response to overall criticism https://jembendell.com/2020/02/27/the-worst-argument-to-try-to-win-response-to-criticism-of-the-climate-science-in-deep-adaptation/   How to Talk About Climate Change in a Way That Makes a Difference, by Dr. Rebecca Huntley https://amzn.to/3cuCo2i   "Does hope inspire more action on climate action than fear? We don't know" https://www.vox.com/energy-and-environment/2017/12/5/16732772/emotion-climate-change-communication   “Does anticipating the possibility of collapse motivate prosocial behaviors?” http://iflas.blogspot.com/2020/06/does-anticipating-societal-collapse.html “Climate science and collapse: Warnings lost in the wind” https://jembendell.com/2020/06/15/climate-science-and-collapse-warnings-lost-in-the-wind/   International Scholars Warning on Societal Disruption & Collapse https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f0frHoqXLB0&list=WL&index=93   Energy and Human Ambitions on a Finite Planet by Dr. Tom Murphy https://escholarship.org/uc/item/9js5291m   Do the Math (Dr. Tom Murphy's blog) https://dothemath.ucsd.edu/   "Society could collapse in a decade, predicts math historian"  https://www.huffpost.com/entry/peter-turchin-cliodynamics-society-collapse_n_586f1e22e4b02b5f85882988   Ages of Discord: A Structural-Demographic Analysis of American History, by Dr. Peter Turchin https://amzn.to/3HFODre   Curated playlist of all podcasts/interviews mentioned in episode https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1c8KrxJi9hTDLzWHPdyvlF?si=a111ffcd6d7546a0   Support our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/popmythology  

We sat down with Professor Tom Murphy to discuss his views on collapse. Tom is a professor in the physics department at UCSD, and recently released a free textbook online called Energy and Human Ambitions on a Finite Planet, which you can find here. Enjoy the interview!Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/collapsepod)

I've known Ramez Naam since 2003 when he wrote More Than Human: Embracing the Promise of Biological Enhancement. Back then he was leading a team at Microsoft, and moonlighting as a writer. Over the last twenty years, he's changed careers, and become a full-time writer and speaker. He's the author of three science fiction books, Crux, Apex, and Nexus. Ramez has also written The Infinite Resource: The Power of Ideas on a Finite Planet. It's because of the last book that he's become an expert on the future of solar technology. Ramez has been predicting the ubiquity of cheap solar power for a decade now. In this conversation, we talk about a variety of issues he's tackled over the past few decades, as well as my own concerns about the future of the planet. Was he too optimistic about the future of biotech in the early 2000's? How about solar energy in 2010? I also ask him about the coming “limits to resources” prognostications that we hear about every decade or so. Are we going to run out of phosphorus? Finally, I ask Ramez to speak on the fact that climate catastrophism has become very fashionable in elite circles, and how that affects our ability to tackle the challenges of the 21st century. Ramez Naam is the type of person you listen to closely, even if you have a disagreement with what they say.

When I read Tom's book on sustainability, Energy and Human Ambitions on a Finite Planet, I couldn't believe the book didn't exist already. I consider it the science book of the decade so invited him back. He shares about his motivation and goals in writing it. You might read my review of the book first, but you can jump into this conversation too.Here is an excerpt from my review:He taught a course to non-science undergraduates on the subject, called Energy and the Environment. He used the course to compile his posts, polish them, and make a self-contained comprehensive book. As far as I know, the only one like it, possibly because mathematics is the language of nature, so equations abound, but he explains them, so people who haven't taken science or math classes since high school can follow.Showing the math means we don't have to take his word for it. We can do the math too and think, judge, and act for ourselves. No matter our politics, age, industry, etc, we can access this book equally. The environment involves many branches of science, including physics, astronomy, chemistry, biology, systems, and more, as well as fields including engineering, history, politics, philosophy, and more. Murphy brings them together like no other resource I've found. Many will shy away from devoting the time that the gravity of our environmental situation demands, but for enabling and empowering every reader to understand, think, judge, and act for themselves, I consider Energy and Human Ambitions on a Finite Planet the science book of the decade. I've read and watched a lot of books, videos, and articles. For reference, I consider Sustainability Without the Hot Air by Caltech-trained Cambridge physicist David MacKay the science book of the previous decade, and Limits to Growth: The 30-Year Update, the science book of the decade before that, by Donella Meadows, Dennis Meadows, and Jørgen Randers. (A video of David MacKay after his book led me to avoid flying, not as a burden but to increase my enjoyment of nature and connection to humans.) Read these three books, and you understand our environment.But wait, there's more. Murphy has acted on his findings in his personal life. He didn't just use an electric car or unplug appliances before doing so was cool, he measured his results and shared how doing so affected his relationships with his wife, peers, and students. He shares his life and profession. This book doesn't teach raw information, it shares a lifestyle.I'm not saying the book is easy, only that I find it the most valuable book or resource on the most important area humans have faced as a species, and I've read and watched many.Murphy's book is glorious. He writes about the wonder of nature, our genius in harnessing it, its limitations, and our folly at not measuring the sofa before trying to jam it into the elevator, or believing the self-serving interests suggesting a “new normal” without justification.The math is accessible to a non-science undergraduate. To someone with a PhD in physics like me, it is a symphony—pure joy when you understand it, even more when your study it. Beethoven didn't write his Ninth for one hearing. Yo-Yo Ma has to study pieces and even with my PhD, I have to take time to understand its equations and application. I learn each time I read Murphy. You will too. The payoff is worth it for aesthetic pleasure alone. There are practical benefits to understanding the patterns: unlike Beethoven, the fates of civilization and millions of species, including our own, depend on our understanding and behavior.Tom's book: Energy and Human Ambitions on a Finite PlanetMy review of it: The Science Book of the Decade: Energy and Human Ambitions on a Finite Planet See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

I didn’t think of how small my building’s elevators were when I bought a sofa after moving into my current apartment. It didn’t fit. The deliverymen tried to bring it up the stairs too. They made the first landing, but couldn’t make the turn to go up the next flight.They had to take it back. I ended up paying a $300 restocking fee plus big tips for the deliverymen’s extra efforts. Plus I lost weeks with no sofa. Now I know my home’s limits. Living within them is no problem when I know them, only when I didn’t. A few minutes of measurement and geometry could have saved me that trouble and improved my life.Can homo sapiens’ elevator, also known as Earth, fit us all in? As with my sofa, maybe a bit of calculation is worth saving the trouble of finding out if our sofa can fit. We’re past the point of eyeballing it. Our sofa is civilization and billions of lives.I doubt even those who study sustainability most can answer Important questions likeCan fusion save us? Will it?What works between solar, wind, nuclear, geothermal, and other options? What doesn’t? Why not?What unintended side-effects are we missing?Do we risk losing civilization? If so, how great is the risk?If we take the gloves off, can geoengineering and other last-ditch efforts work?How hard will saving it be?What do we have to do to make it?These questions have answers, whether we find them out or not. There are a lot of books on the environment. I’ve read a lot of them. Most just describe our situation and what will happen if we don’t fix it. Some talk about what we can do, but they don’t help us understand. They don’t describe the patterns, just the results or instruction. We have to trust the writer.We’ve all heard to eat less meat. How much less? Will all the things they tell us to do solve the problems? How can I tell? What if I don’t eat less meat? Between eating meat or not, why can’t I see any difference in the world? Should I bother trying or just enjoy life to the max?We’re just told the problems and what to do. Maybe school should have taught us but it didn’t. After decades of poor science education, few teachers know how to teach science. They spout facts and instruction. Most analysis and activism is done without context or knowing nature’s patterns, based on feelings. Some envision a world of 10 billion thriving, others a collapse well before.Sustainability leadership is my life passion and frankly I don’t find most resources on the environment useful or readable. From the IPCC report Greta Thunberg gave to Congress to An Inconvenient Truth to articles suggesting “one little thing you can do for the environment,” they describe results and tell us what to do. They don’t help us understand beyond “coral reefs are bleaching” and oversimplifications like “CO2 acts like a blanket.” We have to take their word things like biodiversity is good and pollution is bad.Even knowing all the data doesn’t tell us the patterns. Will buying an electric vehicle matter? Does flying matter? How much? Enough to save lives? How can I tell, or do I have to take your word for it? Most of all, what about when they clash with other values? What if someone else says jobs or energy security is more important? Is there conflict? If so, how do we resolve it? What if we don’t want to emit greenhouse gases but our mother is sick, flying distance away? Or we feel our job depends on it? What about someone else saying the economy depends on my buying more stuff?Only knowing data but not patterns, we can’t think or decide for ourselves. We throw up our hands. For generations we’ve said we’d act and in fact we have, yet we keep lowering Earth’s capacity to sustain life and society. Could our ignorance be causing our attempts at solutions to augment the problems? Might our current attempts at solutions be exacerbating the problems. Are we on a road to hell paved with good intentions?A New HopeTom Murphy’s new book, Energy and Human Ambitions on a Finite Planet, changes all that. It empowers us to understand, think, and act for ourselves.Murphy earned his PhD at Caltech and teaches at UC San Diego. A decade ago he started the Do The Math blog, where he did more than answer the questions above. He showed how he found the answer so you can too, so you can think for yourself. I called it the best site on the internet (tied with Low Tech Magazine).Murphy’s sofa-doesn’t-fit-in-the-elevator moment came in 2006, shortly after moving to San Diego, considering the value of his home. He wrote:I pored over articles on the matter, and found two camps. One camp provided rafts of alarming quantitative analysis of the peril: sub-prime lending, soaring price-to-income ratios, unprecedented unaffordability by average families, vulnerability to any weakness in other sectors. The other camp said that the housing market was manifesting a new normal, that San Diego’s universal appeal would prevent a price drop, that scary lending practices were easily skirted by re-financing before interest payments ballooned. I chose to go with the quantitative analysis over the hand-wavy platitude-based set of beliefs, and am glad that I did.He sold at the height of the market. On seeing the success of applying quantitative analysis over hand-wavy platitude-based opinion to life, instead of moving to finance like many physicists, he applied it to the environment. He saw hand-wavy platitude-based beliefs and couldn’t stand it. He began applying physics to how we create energy, population, and so on in Do the Math.To the chagrin of his dedicated audience, since 2015, he posted only once. He told me on one of his appearances on my podcast that he had answered the most important questions so didn’t have more to write.But he wasn’t done. The blog was an unorganized string of posts. He taught a course to non-science undergraduates on the subject, called Energy and the Environment. He used the course to compile his posts, polish them, and make a self-contained comprehensive book. As far as I know, the only one like it, possibly because mathematics is the language of nature, so equations abound, but he explains them, so people who haven’t taken science or math classes since high school can follow.Showing the math means we don’t have to take his word for it. We can do the math too and think, judge, and act for ourselves. No matter our politics, age, industry, etc, we can access this book equally. The environment involves many branches of science, including physics, astronomy, chemistry, biology, systems, and more, as well as fields including engineering, history, politics, philosophy, and more. Murphy brings them together like no other resource I’ve found. Many will shy away from devoting the time that the gravity of our environmental situation demands, but for enabling and empowering every reader to understand, think, judge, and act for themselves, I consider Energy and Human Ambitions on a Finite Planet the science book of the decade.I’ve read and watched a lot of books, videos, and articles. For reference, I consider Sustainability Without the Hot Air by Caltech-trained Cambridge physicist David MacKay the science book of the previous decade, and Limits to Growth: The 30-Year Update, the science book of the decade before that, by Donella Meadows, Dennis Meadows, and Jørgen Randers. (A video of David MacKay after his book led me to avoid flying, not as a burden but to increase my enjoyment of nature and connection to humans.) Read these three books, and you understand our environment.But wait, there’s more. Murphy has acted on his findings in his personal life. He didn’t just use an electric car or unplug appliances before doing so was cool, he measured his results and shared how doing so affected his relationships with his wife, peers, and students. He shares his life and profession. This book doesn’t teach raw information, it shares a lifestyle.I’m not saying the book is easy, only that I find it the most valuable book or resource on the most important area humans have faced as a species, and I’ve read and watched many.Murphy’s book is glorious. He writes about the wonder of nature, our genius in harnessing it, its limitations, and our folly at not measuring the sofa before trying to jam it into the elevator, or believing the self-serving interests suggesting a “new normal” without justification.The math is accessible to a non-science undergraduate. To someone with a PhD in physics like me, it is a symphony—pure joy when you understand it, even more when your study it. Beethoven didn’t write his Ninth for one hearing. Yo-Yo Ma has to study pieces and even with my PhD, I have to take time to understand its equations and application. I learn each time I read Murphy. You will too. The payoff is worth it for aesthetic pleasure alone. There are practical benefits to understanding the patterns: unlike Beethoven, the fates of civilization and millions of species, including our own, depend on our understanding and behavior.Learning math and physics here is like learning biology and chemistry when you start gardening or sports. You don’t need to start with anything. You won’t reach your potential, but you won’t get injured either. You’ll learn by doing. Any gardener will soon learn about species and seasons. Lifting weights taught me anatomy and diet. Sailing will teach you tides and fluid dynamics.Math doesn’t give answers. It doesn’t have values. People Do.Humans have values. What we consider good, bad, right, and wrong stands outside math and science. Euclid derived all of Euclidean geometry from five axioms but he had to start with them. Likewise, math lets you get from your values to what to do but it doesn’t tell you your values.Engineers often think math tells you answers. They promote nuclear power for not emitting CO2 or electric vehicles because they are more efficient, but do our deepest values include avoiding CO2 emissions and efficiency?Murphy describes how nuclear fission and fusion work, their hurdles to implementation, and so on, but then treats the science and technology as only the starting point to decide their value. Most analyses and people confronted with waste and pollution see more efficient sources and less polluting sources as the solution. Obviously, they pollute less, right? Not so fast. You have to do the math. What patterns have we followed before? If we follow them again, what will happen? People familiar with systems may expect systems to behave differently than their elements alone. Murphy does the math and suggests clean fission and fusion would compound our problems. Don’t believe him? You can do the math yourself, but if you just feel confident based on hopes, dreams, and fantasies, you’ll benefit most from his book.Most science books tell you results of experiment or predict some outcome based on some model. The IPCC reports, for example, tell you our best understanding of our climate measurements and where, given our patterns, we’ll end up or could end up if we change our behavior. The results show lots of numbers. They do math but they don’t enable you to do math. Books like the Uninhabitable Earth describe such predictions in prose, again not enabling you to do math.Who Should Read ItAfter generations of this nation denigrating science, math, nature, and education of them, I’m under no preconceptions of how popular this book will become. People feel guilty thinking and talking about the environment when their responsibility comes into play. Still, everyone can understand it. You’ll love it when you work through it.Every policymaker, CEO, and media programmer will benefit their audiences from knowing this book. Even if leaders don’t read it enough to understand it, this book enables them to have on staff or retainer someone who understands the math from doing it. That leader can choose not to talk in equations. He or she may even wave his or her hands and speak in platitudes, but can start from understanding, not ignorance.Why You’ll Love the MathI wrote how mathematics is the language of nature and that Murphy’s book is a symphony. The video below of a master class will illustrate what I mean (and put a big smile on your face, there are more of his videos here). Ben Zander is a conductor, musical director of the Boston Philharmonic Orchestra, and bestselling author. He speaks sometimes in English but other times through the piano. Because music is the language of music. Zander can’t communicate in English the sound and meaning of music where a few notes on the piano communicate everything.https://youtu.be/b2S-OjTb4nUAs music communicates music, equations describe nature. I know people more fluent in music will hear more than I do from Zander, but I love what I hear and value hearing what I can. You will gain as much reading Energy and Human Ambitions on a Finite Planet.Enjoy the book!Here is a video Tom and some peers made of the book:https://youtu.be/2fbOWhJy7So See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Our guest this week, Alex Pettem, is completing a Master's of Political Science at the University of Montreal. His research focus is on Degrowth, and he's got his finger on the pulse of the Montreal chapter of the movement. Strap in for a super unique and insightful episode with my good friend and our first ever Political Scientist! Questions Answered What is the Degrowth movement and how can we propagate it? How can we continue to make progress while simultaneously reducing our level of growth? What does a degrowth future look like, and what would we need to give up in order to get there? Who are the proponents of the degrowth movement, and at what level do they operate in society? Where did the movement begin and who should be getting involved? and many, many, many more! Topics & Concepts Intro to Degrowth Decolonizing Our Imagination The "Zeitgeist" Climate Crisis The Solidarity Economy Voluntary Simplicity Steady-State Economy Yves-Marie Abraham Social Movements Radicalizing the Climate Debate Circular Economy vs. Planned Obsolescence Serge Mongeau & The Mouvement de la Decroissance Unknown Beginnings Limitations on Economic Growth Social Movement Theory Charisma The Global North The Invevitability of Degrowth Red Pilling the Masses Decroissance Conviviale FB Group https://www.facebook.com/groups/decroissanceconvivialeQC MQDC Website https://www.decroissance.qc.ca/documentation/videos Does free will exist? Maybe. Regardless, please share your cherished feedback with me at abstractcast@gmail.com! Liking the show? Drop us a juicy 5-star rating or a written review on Apple Podcasts! Support the show by Following & Subscribing on: Spotify, Facebook, Instagram & Twitter --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/abstractcast/message

Stir Crazy! Episode 90: Today we are joined by TRNN visual producer Andrew Corkery, TRNN climate reporter Steve Horn, Principal Research Fellow at the Melbourne Sustainable Society Institute at the University of Melbourne Anitra Nelson, Executive Director of the Centre for Environmental Justice and Development in Kenya Griffins Ochieng, and Kentucky State Rep. Attica Scott. Hosted by Kim Brown.This article/video segment is published as part of Covering Climate Now, a global journalism collaboration strengthening coverage of the climate crisis.

Ramez Naam (@ramez) is a computer scientist, futurist, angel investor and award-winning author best known for his Nexus Trilogy: Nexus, Crux and ApexHis other (non-fiction) books include: The Infinite Resource: The Power of Ideas on a Finite Planet and More than Human: Embracing the Promises of Biological Enhancement.He's currently co-chair of energy and the environment at Singularity University and earlier in his career led teams at Microsoft working on Outlook, Internet Explorer and Bing where he co-patented 20 inventions, many alongside Bill Gates.Ramez has appeared on Sunday morning MSNBC, Yahoo! Finance, The New York Times, WSJ, PopSci, Wired, and many more. Ramez holds more than 20 patents, and many of those are as a co-inventor with Bill Gates.In today's episode we discuss:- Why we're at a tipping point for carbon-emitting cars sold- What it was like working directly with Bill Gates- What is Ramez predicted about renewable energy and why it's better than even he thought- How technologists are solving global problems by fixing incentives and driving down costs- What it's like to be both a bestselling fiction and non-fiction author- Why Ramez is no longer a big believer in radical life extension- The brain2.0 movement and why we're becoming cyborgs- What Ramez thinks about CRISPR and genetically engineering people- The importance of sci-fi to shift societal attitudes- How to think about technological trends when tackling big problems- Why innovation often leaves behind a lot bodies- The reason Ramez is fundamentally optimist despite all the challenges we face- Why the secret to a better future is to create it

How does immigration impact the environment? There are ideological arguments against open borders both right and left of center, and yes, the economic growth that would likely result from such a liberal policy would increase emissions—at first. But there is an environmental argument FOR allowing more and more people to immigrate to rich countries.   Dr. Bryan Caplan is a Professor of Economics at George Mason University and New York Times Bestselling author. His most recent release is a collaboration with Zach Weinersmith called Open Borders: The Science and Ethics of Immigration. On this episode of Reversing Climate Change, Bryan joins Ross and Paul to discuss the thesis of his new nonfiction graphic novel and explain his view that open borders would ultimately double the productivity of humankind.   Bryan introduces us to the value of his Ideological Turing Test and practice of public betting, discussing why he likes to hold people accountable for their views in objective, quantifiable ways. Listen in for Bryan’s insight around how open borders are likely to impact the climate, the responsibility rich countries have to climate refugees, and the best keyhole solutions to social issues around immigration and the environment.   Nori Podcasts has a Patreon! Will you support the show?   Key Takeaways   [1:04] The value of Bryan’s ideological Turing test Explain view disagree with to blind audience as believer Advances dialogue past most common objections   [4:44] Bryan’s public bet with Yoram Bauman on global warming Bet on global warming pause to continue through 2030 3:1 odds   [7:35] Why Bryan engages in public betting Hold people accountable for views in quantifiable way Requires specificity + deadline, someone who disagrees   [11:32] The thesis of Bryan’s nonfiction graphic novel Open Borders Immigration restrictions should be justified Immigrants to rich countries become vastly more productive Research indicates tens of trillions/year in economic gains   [19:20] How open borders are likely to impact the climate Pollution rises in early, middle stages of economic growth Environmental Kuznets curve (richest = relatively clean) Pollution tax much better than keeping people in poverty   [27:22] Bryan’s insight on the degrowther argument  Propose rich countries cut back consumption by 50% Give surplus to poor countries for not industrializing   [30:49] The responsibility rich countries have to climate refugees Island nations sinking because of climate change Make immigration easier BEFORE disaster strikes   [34:01] Bryan’s take on the opposition to immigration Stems from fundamental human xenophobia Easy to blame outgroups for problems, justify harm   [39:56] How US opinion on immigration has evolved since 2000 Less than 10% in favor of more immigration Increase to 30% in favor today   [42:51] The idea of keyhole solutions to social problems Conceived of by economic journalist Tim Harford Advocates for cheapest, most humane way to solve issue Solutions like pollution tax or tolls based on time of day Provides incentive to innovate (e.g.: cars that pollute less)   [48:22] How Bryan thinks about adding to the human population More to consider than pollution each person generates Contribution usually outweighs harm individual causes   Connect with Ross & Paul   Nori Nori on Facebook  Nori on Twitter Nori on Medium Nori on YouTube Nori on GitHub Nori Newsletter Email hello@nori.com Nori White Paper Subscribe on iTunes Carbon Removal Newsroom   Resources   Bryan’s Website Open Borders: The Science and Ethics of Immigration by Bryan Caplan and Zach Weinersmith Bryan on EconLog Books by Bryan Yoram Bauman on Twitter The Cartoon Introduction to Climate Change by Yoram Bauman and Grady Klein The Cartoon History of the Universe by Larry Gonick Saturday Morning Breakfast Cereal Hard Heads, Soft Hearts: Tough-Minded Economics for a Just Society by Alan S. Blinder Naomi Klein The Simpsons’ Open Borders Meme Tim Harford Julian Simon The Infinite Resource: The Power of Ideas on a Finite Planet by Ramez Naam

Ramez Naam (@ramez) is a computer scientist, futurist, angel investor and award-winning author best known for his Nexus Trilogy: Nexus, Crux and ApexHis other (non-fiction) books include: The Infinite Resource: The Power of Ideas on a Finite Planet and More than Human: Embracing the Promises of Biological Enhancement.He's currently co-chair of energy and the environment at Singularity University and earlier in his career led teams at Microsoft working on Outlook, Internet Explorer and Bing where he co-patented 20 inventions, many alongside Bill Gates.To listen to the entire episode, visit: https://disruptors.fm/94-how-renewable-energy-killed-coal-and-why-radical-life-extension-isnt-going-to-happen-ramez-naam-of-singularity-university/

This week on Policy Forum Pod we head out of the studio for our first ever live pod, as a stellar cast of experts tackle a burning question – Should Australia declare a climate emergency. Our panel – John Hewson, Imran Ahmad, Liz Hanna, and Shane Rattenbury – share their views on what it would mean, how it might help, and what the barriers to making it work might be.This event was recorded at The Australian National University on Thursday 17 October. It was the annual Great Green Debate organised by ANU Learning Communities – a student-led organisation dedicated to bringing people together in areas of common interest. The panel was co-hosted by Policy Forum Pod’s Professor Sharon Bessell and Martyn Pearce.Imran Ahmad is Founding Director of Future Earth Australia, former Director of East-Asia and Pacific at the Global Green Growth Institute, and an Honorary Associate Professor at the Fenner School of Environment and Society.Shane Rattenbury is the ACT government's Minister for Climate Change and Sustainability.John Hewson is an economic and financial expert with experience in academia, business, government, media, and the financial system. In 2014, Dr Hewson joined ANU as Professor at the Crawford School, and Chair of the Tax and Transfer Policy Institute.Liz Hanna is a Fellow in the ANU College of Medicine, Biology and Environment and Chair of the Environmental Health Working Group, World Federation of Public Health Associations.Sharon Bessell is a Professor at Crawford School of Public Policy, where she is co-leader of the ANU Individual Deprivation Measure (IDM) team. The IDM is a new, gender-sensitive and multidimensional measure of poverty.Martyn Pearce is a presenter for Policy Forum Pod and the Editor of Policy Forum.Show notes | The following were referred to in this episode:Sir Nicholas Stern on climate change being a market failureLabor announcement to declare a climate emergencyClimate emergency Canberra transitions to 100% renewable electricityThe Guardian changes language changes concerning the environmentclimate health allianceTheresa May announces Climate Change ActUK Parliament declares climate emergencyAdani (Carmichael) coal mine in AustraliaHealth Care Without Harm (Green and Healthy Hospitals)Prosperity Without Growth: Economics for a Finite Planet (book by Tim Jackson; ‘decoupling’)Australian local councils declare climate emergency

Ramez Naam (@ramez) is a computer scientist, futurist, angel investor and award-winning author best known for his Nexus Trilogy: Nexus, Crux and ApexHis other (non-fiction) books include: The Infinite Resource: The Power of Ideas on a Finite Planet and More than Human: Embracing the Promises of Biological Enhancement.He's currently co-chair of energy and the environment at Singularity University and earlier in his career led teams at Microsoft working on Outlook, Internet Explorer and Bing where he co-patented 20 inventions, many alongside Bill Gates.Ramez has appeared on Sunday morning MSNBC, Yahoo! Finance, The New York Times, WSJ, PopSci, Wired, and many more. Ramez holds more than 20 patents, and many of those are as a co-inventor with Bill Gates.You can listen right here on iTunesIn today's episode we discuss:* Why we're at a tipping point for carbon-emitting cars sold* What it was like working directly with Bill Gates* What is Ramez predicted about renewable energy and why it's better than even he thought* How technologists are solving global problems by fixing incentives and driving down costs* What it's like to be both a bestselling fiction and non-fiction author* Why Ramez is no longer a big believer in radical life extension* The brain2.0 movement and why we're becoming cyborgs* What Ramez thinks about CRISPR and genetically engineering people* The importance of sci-fi to shift societal attitudes* How to think about technological trends when tackling big problems* Why innovation often leaves behind a lot bodies* The reason Ramez is fundamentally optimist despite all the challenges we face* Why the secret to a better future is to create itMake a Tax-Deductible Donation to Support The DisruptorsMake a Tax-Deductible Donation to Support The DisruptorsThe Disruptors is supported by the generosity of its readers and listeners. If you find our work valuable, please consider supporting us on Patreon, via Paypal or with DonorBox powered by Stripe.Donate

Ramez Naam is a computer scientist, futurist, angel investor and award-winning author best known for his Nexus Trilogy: Nexus, Crux and Apex. His other (non-fiction) books include: The Infinite Resource: The Power of Ideas on a Finite Planet and More than Human: Embracing the Promises of Biological Enhancement. He's currently co-chair of energy and the environment at Singularity University and earlier in his career... The post The China Startup and VC Revolution and Future of Mobile-Only Businesses | Ramez Naam appeared first on The Syndicate.

SingularityU South Africa Summit co-organiser Mic Mann and creative director Youri Licht recently travelled to the Singularity University(SU) summit in Thailand where they interviewed various SU speakers. Season 1 is a series of in-depth conversations with some of Singularity Universities most innovative and creative minds. Ramez Naam is a computer scientist, futurist, and award-winning author. Ramez spent 13 years at Microsoft, where he led teams developing early versions of Microsoft Outlook, Internet Explorer, and the Bing search engine. His career has focused on bringing advanced collaboration, communication, and information retrieval capabilities to roughly one billion people around the world, and took him to the role of Partner and Director of Program Management within Microsoft, with deep experience leading teams working on cutting edge technologies such as machine learning, search, massive scale services, and artificial intelligence. Between stints at Microsoft, Ramez founded and ran Apex NanoTechnologies, the world first company devoted entirely to software tools to accelerate molecular design. He holds 19 patents related to search engines, information retrieval, web browsing, artificial intelligence, and machine learning. Ramez is also the H.G. Wells Award-winning author of four books: The Infinite Resource: The Power of Ideas on a Finite Planet (non-fiction), which looks at the environmental and natural resource challenges of climate change, energy, water, and food, and charts a course to meet those challenges by investing in the scientific and technological innovation needed to overcome them, and by changing our policies to encourage both conservation and critical innovations. He’s a graduate of the University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign and the Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy at Aurora Illinois. In his leisure, Ramez has climbed mountains, descended into icy crevasses, chased sharks through their native domain, backpacked through remote corners of China, and ridden his bicycle down hundreds of miles of the Vietnam coast. He lives in Seattle, where he writes and speaks full time.

In continuing our series of facing extreme challenges, my guest Aaron Vandiver brings insights as to how the fundamental policies and structures of the global Growth Model by which we all operate within, ultimately brings about the ecological destruction we need to prevent. This model is written, enforced, and entrenched in just about every layer of society and policy today. Conservation and economists knew back in the sixties, that infinite growth is simply not possible on a finite planet. Our conversation today helps us pinpoint the seemingly small but infinitely critical linkages that have had dynamic, and systemic, effects on the conservation movement over the past 50 years. We were at one time gaining ground, and now half century later we are losing ground, as our legal, corporate and accounting systems do not take into consideration the environmental costs associated with doing business as usual.

Phosphorus is essential to life on Earth and frequently limits the productivity of ecosystems. This seminar will be focused on two frontiers in global phosphorus cycling. The first is the agricultural frontier that has emerged in the Cerrado and Amazon regions of Brazil, where soils impose a hefty phosphorus "tax".The second is a frontier in science, engineering, and policy : the creation of a more circular phosphorus economy.

On this episode of the Skift podcast, we're tackling the issue of overtourism with some ideas for addressing the problem. Our guest is Megan Epler Wood, director of the International Sustainable Tourism Initiative at the Harvard School of Public Health. Her latest book, Sustainable Tourism on a Finite Planet, was released earlier this year. She spoke with Skift tourism experts Andrew Sheivachman and Dan Peltier and news editor Hannah Sampson.

Richard Heinberg is an American journalist and educator specialized in energy, economic, and ecological issues. A Senior Fellow at the Post Carbon Institute, Richard is considered one of the world’s foremost advocates for a shift away from our current reliance on fossil fuels. He joins us to discuss realistic avenues for transitioning to renewable energy, the environmental implications of economic growth, and how we can build more resiliency into the sustainability movement.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What exactly are “think tanks” supposed to be thinking about? Are some of them part of a campaign to cast doubt on science when it could interfere with profits? Author Kerryn Higgs recounted the growth-seeking activities of the corporate world in her book, Collision Course: Endless Growth on a Finite Planet. Her research reveals think tanks, industry associations, and even university economics departments all play a role in advancing and preserving our society’s commitment to growth above all else, even if it means ignoring science. More at http://www.conversationearth.org

This week on the program – listening to the last men on the moon, a field recording from hyde park, lectures and presentations on climate change, accompanied by digital signal processing, pipe organ and a marching band- stopGOstop presents an … Continue reading →

Futurist, scifi author and former Microsoft executive Ramez Naam has some definite ideas about where we are heading as a species. And it might be in a different direction than you think. Ramez was born in Cairo, Egypt, and came to the US at the age of 3. He's a computer scientist, futurist, angel investor, and award-winning author. He spent 13 years at Microsoft, where he led teams developing early versions of Microsoft Outlook, Internet Explorer, and the Bing search engine. His career has focused on bringing advanced collaboration, communication, and information retrieval capabilities to roughly one billion people around the world, and took him to the role of Partner and Director of Program Management within Microsoft, with deep experience leading teams working on cutting edge technologies such as machine learning, search, massive scale services, and artificial intelligence. Between stints at Microsoft, Ramez founded and ran Apex NanoTechnologies, the world's first company devoted entirely to software tools to accelerate molecular design. He holds 19 patents related to search engines, information retrieval, web browsing, artificial intelligence, and machine learning. Ramez is also the award-winning author of five books: Nexus, Crux, and Apex (fiction). This trilogy of philosophical science fiction thrillers look at the impact of an increasingly plausible technology that could link human minds, and the impact such a technology could have on society and on the human condition, for both good and ill. The Infinite Resource: The Power of Ideas on a Finite Planet (non-fiction), which looks at the environmental and natural resource challenges of climate change, energy, water, and food, and charts a course to meet those challenges by investing in the scientific and technological innovation needed to overcome them, and by changing our policies to encourage both conservation and critical innovations. More Than Human: Embracing the Promise of Biological Enhancement (non-fiction), which looks at the science of enhancing the human mind, body, and lifespan, and the effects that will have on society. Ramez was awarded the H.G. Wells Award for his work on More Than Human. Ramez lectures on energy, environment, and innovation at Singularity University. He's appeared on Sunday morning MSNBC, repeatedly on Yahoo! Finance, on China Cable Television, on BigThink, and Reuters.fm. His work has appeared in, or been reviewed by, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Los Angeles Times, The Atlantic, Slate, Business Week, Business Insider, Discover, Popular Science, Wired, and Scientific American. In his leisure, Ramez has climbed mountains, descended into icy crevasses, chased sharks through their native domain, backpacked through remote corners of China, and ridden his bicycle down hundreds of miles of the Vietnam coast. He lives in Seattle, where he writes and speaks full time.

Rallying against overpopulation can be quite taboo these days, even among environmentalists. Yet the ecological impacts of our expanding civilization grow evermore severe, anti-immigration cries reach a fever pitch worldwide, and locally we struggle with the converging crises of overcrowding. Host Laura Garzon Chica @EarthMediaArts revisits the heated debate around population with two guests: Paul Ehrlich @PaulREhrlich of Stanford University (Woods Institute for the Environment, Center for Conservation Biology, and Millennium Alliance for Humanity and the Biosphere); and Martin Adams @heyMartinAdams of Progress.org, author of Land: A New Paradigm for a Thriving World. The post The Population Problem: Living Large on a Finite Planet appeared first on KPFA.

This week on Eat Your Words, host Cathy Erway chats with authors Ramin Ganeshram and Sarah Elton about sustainable, fresh cooking directed at kids and cooking from scratch. Ramin’s book, “FutureChefs: Recipes by Tomorrow’s Cooks Across the Nation and the World,” is a collection of 150 recipes drawn from the experience and kitchens of young cooks all over America. The book brings real, cooking-obsessed tweens and teens to the page as relatable characters who span a diverse social and cultural experience. Sarah’s, “Consumed: Food for a Finite Planet,” points out that many have lost touch with the soil—few of us know where our food comes from, let alone how to grow it—and we are at the mercy of multinational corporations who control the crops and give little thought to the damage their methods are inflicting on the planet. Our very future is at risk, and the group discusses how the upcoming generations of kids are the key to turning this all around. Tune in to hear the authors’ accounts of getting kids involved in improving food systems around the world. This program was brought to you by Whole Foods Market. “Kids who cook will eat better food, so it’s just a win win for everybody.” [10:40] —Sarah Elton on Eat Your Words “We need to get to a place where all young people can have ownership of their regional food culture.” [11:40] —Ramin Ganeshram on Eat Your Words

Ramez Naam is a computer scientist who lives in the pacific northwest. His debut novel, Nexus (Angry Robot, 2012), has received an impressive level of positive buzz, including an endorsement from one of our past interview subjects, Alistair Reynolds. Although this is his first work of fiction, Naam is no stranger to writing. His previous book, More than Human: Embracing the Promise of Biological Enhancement, received the 2005 HG Wells Award for Contributions to Transhumanism. As he discusses in the podcast, he has two books due out in 2013, including Crux, a sequel to Nexus, as well as a non-fiction work about technological adaptation and climate change, entitled The Infinite Resource: The Power of Ideas on a Finite Planet. I hope you enjoy the interview, which ranges across all of these subjects. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ramez Naam is a computer scientist who lives in the pacific northwest. His debut novel, Nexus (Angry Robot, 2012), has received an impressive level of positive buzz, including an endorsement from one of our past interview subjects, Alistair Reynolds. Although this is his first work of fiction, Naam is no stranger to writing. His previous book, More than Human: Embracing the Promise of Biological Enhancement, received the 2005 HG Wells Award for Contributions to Transhumanism. As he discusses in the podcast, he has two books due out in 2013, including Crux, a sequel to Nexus, as well as a non-fiction work about technological adaptation and climate change, entitled The Infinite Resource: The Power of Ideas on a Finite Planet. I hope you enjoy the interview, which ranges across all of these subjects. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ramez Naam is a computer scientist who lives in the pacific northwest. His debut novel, Nexus (Angry Robot, 2012), has received an impressive level of positive buzz, including an endorsement from one of our past interview subjects, Alistair Reynolds. Although this is his first work of fiction, Naam is no stranger to writing. His previous book, More than Human: Embracing the Promise of Biological Enhancement, received the 2005 HG Wells Award for Contributions to Transhumanism. As he discusses in the podcast, he has two books due out in 2013, including Crux, a sequel to Nexus, as well as a non-fiction work about technological adaptation and climate change, entitled The Infinite Resource: The Power of Ideas on a Finite Planet. I hope you enjoy the interview, which ranges across all of these subjects. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ramez Naam (author, futurist and IT professional) is our featured guest. Topic: Global Climate Change is just one of the many topics he covers in his book The Infinite Resource: The Power of Innovation on a Finite Planet. Looking beyond the arguments and hyperbole, in this interview we discuss what we know scientifically and what we don't know. We explore the problems and inconveniences which global warming will likely produce, as well as the strengths and weaknesses of some possible engineering methods of placing a thermostat on the Earth. Hosted by Stephen Euin Cobb, this is the November 14, 2012 episode of The Future And You. [Running time: 40 minutes] Ramez Naam is an IT professional, futurist and author. His background is in computer software and high scale web services. He held leadership roles on early versions of Microsoft Outlook and Microsoft Internet Explorer. He was one of the early employees on the Bing search engine and led all of Program Management for Bing for two years and the Relevance and Ranking Team for four years. He is a member of Humanity Plus and the Institute for Ethics and Emerging Technologies, and he teaches at Singularity University. He is the author of the nonfiction book More Than Human: Embracing the Promise of Biological Enhancement which came out in 2005. And has a new book coming out in the spring of 2013 entitled The Infinite Resource: The Power of Innovation on a Finite Planet.

Ramez Naam (author, futurist and IT professional) is today's featured guest. Topics: good trends such as: poverty and hunger are down world-wide, while health and longevity are up; but also mixed trends such as in: education and the jobs of the future, the rising shortage of fresh water, how desalinization works and why it is increasingly important, the good and bad truth about fracking and natural gas, limits on agriculture--just how much food can we produce? the good and bad news about china, as well as other topics he covers in his book The Infinite Resource: The Power of Innovation on a Finite Planet which is due out in the spring of 2013. Hosted by Stephen Euin Cobb, this is the November 7, 2012 episode of The Future And You. [Running time: 42 minutes]  Ramez Naam is an IT professional, futurist and author. His background is in computer software and high scale web services. He held leadership roles on early versions of Microsoft Outlook and Microsoft Internet Explorer. He was one of the early employees on the Bing search engine and led all of Program Management for Bing for two years and the Relevance and Ranking Team for four years. He is a member of Humanity Plus and the Institute for Ethics and Emerging Technologies, and he teaches at Singularity University. He is the author of the nonfiction book More Than Human: Embracing the Promise of Biological Enhancement which came out in 2005. And has a new book coming out in the spring of 2013 entitled The Infinite Resource: The Power of Innovation on a Finite Planet.

Ramez Naam (author, futurist and IT professional) is today's featured guest. Topics: Internet Search Algorithms (what they are and how they do what they do); what and why he teaches at Singularity University; why he joined Humanity Plus and the Institute for Ethics and Emerging Technologies; why he believes (as does your host) that all human beings are transhumanists by their fundamental nature; why he dislikes the term "Transhumanist" even though he is one. We also discuss his article in Scientific American which describes how photovoltaic cells (solar cells) are undergoing an exponential price change similar to Moore's Law; why the power grid is not ready for widespread use of photovoltaic cells, and what needs to be done to make it ready; and the difference between smart grids and dumb grids. Hosted by Stephen Euin Cobb, this is the October 31, 2012 episode of The Future And You. [Running time: 38 minutes]  Ramez Naam is an IT professional, futurist and author. His background is in computer software and high scale web services. He held leadership roles on early versions of Microsoft Outlook and Microsoft Internet Explorer. He was one of the early employees on the Bing search engine and led all of Program Management for Bing for two years and the Relevance and Ranking Team for four years. He is a member of Humanity Plus and the Institute for Ethics and Emerging Technologies, and he teaches at Singularity University. He is the author of the nonfiction book More Than Human: Embracing the Promise of Biological Enhancement which came out in 2005. And has a new book coming out in the spring of 2013 entitled The Infinite Resource: The Power of Innovation on a Finite Planet. News Item: As of Oct. 28, 2012, every observation from the extrasolar planet survey made by Kepler since its launch in 2009 through June 27, 2012, is available to scientists and the public. What's more, all future data will be no longer exclusive to the Kepler science team, its guest observers, and its asteroseismology consortium members and will be available immediately to the public. This treasure-trove contains more than 16 terabytes of data and is housed at the Barbara A. Mikulski Archive for Space Telescopes, or MAST, at the Space Telescope Science Institute. MAST is a huge data archive containing astronomical observations from 16 NASA space astronomy missions, including the Hubble Space Telescope. It is named in honor of Maryland U.S. Senator Barbara A. Mikulski. Over the past three years the Kepler science team has discovered 77 confirmed planets and 2,321 planet candidates.

Pietro Peretto, Professor of Economics, Duke University, is tackling the very biggest topic in Economics — How can humanity experience increasing living standards in a world of finite resources? Or more particularly, does the stabilisation of population levels imply the cessation of economic prosperity gains? Professor Peretto is a theorist who has been developing analytical […]