Responding to Peak Oil

If sales of books like The Party's Over by Richard Heinberg and Crossing the Rubicon by Mike Ruppert are anything to go by, there is a widespread thirst in North America for reliable and authoritative information on Peak Oil and its likely consequences. Both books are runaway best-sellers. Of equal importance, of course, are ideas on what to do about the situation, and this month's newsletter focuses especially on energy solutions.

DVDs – a new resource for New Society readers

First, though, we're pleased to announce that we are working with Global Public Media to distribute their excellent DVDs on the Peak Oil phenomenon, and they are available now. Each DVD provides over two hours of interviews with experts in the field. Check out the following:

• Colin Campbell, Petroleum Geologist Go!
• Matt Simmons, Energy Banker Go!
• Richard Heinberg, Human Ecologist Go!

Bringing you Aztext Press and William Kemp

Next, we are equally pleased to be working with Aztext Press from Ontario to bring you the work of William Kemp. A talented renewable energy expert who practices what he preaches by living off-grid, Bill is the author of two impressive resources that are also available for ordering right away:
The Renewable Energy Handbook: A Guide to Rural Energy Independence, Off-Grid and Sustainable Living

• Check out the Contents
• Read the Advance Praise

$mart Power: An Urban Guide to Renewable Energy and Efficiency

• Check out the Contents

Watch for Bill Kemp's forthcoming book on making biodiesel in the New Year.

Solar Dreamers and Doers

If Peak Oil is prompting people to think more seriously about energy alternatives like solar power, it's about time. Back in the Carter era, the excitement over renewable energy technologies was tangible and government subsidies were designed to propel renewables to a commercial scale. It was an era when dreamers were given free rein and rapidly became doers. They accomplished remarkable things in the process. SELF, the Solar Electric Light Fund, was one such achievement, and Neville Williams, author of Chasing the Sun: Solar Adventures Around the World, was the dreamer-turned-doer who gave it life, bringing solar powered light to millions in the process. Had that same trajectory continued, we would now be much better prepared for the end of cheap oil than we are now, and may even have avoided the SUV epoch in the process… This is recent solar history to get inspired by!

• Check out the Advance Praise
• Read the Introduction

The New Energy Economy

The transition from a petroleum-based economy to one based on alternative forms of energy has most commentators ringing shrill alarm bells about the demise of western civilization as we know it. A contrasting view is provided by Barry Hanson in Energy Power Shift: Benefiting form Today's New Technologies, a provocative book that we are distributing for the author and which is available now. A 'cornucopian' view, Hanson focuses on the revolutionary possibilities of the new energy technologies that include solar and wind, as well as wave power and the transformation of waste and biomass to oil. In the process of this transition, Hanson argues that gearing up for the end of oil can create energy independence, a clean environment, true national security and produce over six million new jobs.

• Check out the Contents
• Read the Introduction

Stinky Kitchen

Biodiesel is catching on quickly as an alternative fuel, having the added advantage of being produced from a waste product – French fry grease. Among the pioneers in this emerging industry are a handful of backyard biodiesel brewers who rapidly moved from producing the odd gallon or two in their kitchens to producing hundreds or thousands of gallons at a time. Lyle Estill is one such pioneer, creator of Piedmont Biofuels in North Carolina and author of Energy Blog, that kept the open source sharing of information about biodiesel alive on the Net. Biodiesel Power is his fascinating story of the emerging biodiesel movement.

• Check out the Contents
• Read Chapter 1: Stinky Kitchen

Have Fries – Will Travel!

New Society doesn't usually publish books for children, but we broke with custom this one time to share some of the biodiesel buzz with kids. Subtitled The Adventures of a Veggie-Powered Car and an Eco-Rap Star, this full color tale features an eco-rap star and a little car that drives on biodiesel. Modeled on biodiesel producer Charris Ford, founder of Grassolean Solutions, the book will capture the imagination of young minds – and possibly inspire more biodiesel manufacture as well as eco-rap songs.

• Check out the back cover of the book
• Try rapping the eco-rap song