Comments on: Where Does Obama Stand On Rotting Whales? (hopefully not on the mushy bits…) http://transitionculture.org/2009/01/20/where-does-obama-stand-on-rotting-whales-hopefully-not-on-the-mushy-bits/ An Evolving Exploration into the Head, Heart and Hands of Energy Descent Mon, 13 Feb 2012 00:35:27 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Rob http://transitionculture.org/2009/01/20/where-does-obama-stand-on-rotting-whales-hopefully-not-on-the-mushy-bits/comment-page-1/#comment-61127 Rob Thu, 22 Jan 2009 22:57:57 +0000 http://transitionculture.org/?p=2303#comment-61127 I think maybe I overreacted a bit to that... it may well also refer to Creationism in schools, and hopefully to a realistic appraisal of the US's energy security ... but I do nervously see the shadows of the GM industry flitting behind the scenes when that statement is used... I think maybe I overreacted a bit to that… it may well also refer to Creationism in schools, and hopefully to a realistic appraisal of the US’s energy security … but I do nervously see the shadows of the GM industry flitting behind the scenes when that statement is used…

]]> By: Mandy http://transitionculture.org/2009/01/20/where-does-obama-stand-on-rotting-whales-hopefully-not-on-the-mushy-bits/comment-page-1/#comment-61126 Mandy Thu, 22 Jan 2009 22:40:28 +0000 http://transitionculture.org/?p=2303#comment-61126 I thought the "restoring science to it's rightful place" comment might be about climate science with reference to the Bush camp's climate change denial stance. Maybe I'm just a hopeless optimist. I thought the “restoring science to it’s rightful place” comment might be about climate science with reference to the Bush camp’s climate change denial stance.
Maybe I’m just a hopeless optimist.

]]> By: Jennifer Lauruol http://transitionculture.org/2009/01/20/where-does-obama-stand-on-rotting-whales-hopefully-not-on-the-mushy-bits/comment-page-1/#comment-61121 Jennifer Lauruol Thu, 22 Jan 2009 20:48:53 +0000 http://transitionculture.org/?p=2303#comment-61121 I'm also concerned about the 'growth' word, and no reference, in all the agenda items I've searched, to protecting and enhancing biodiversity. Nor to food security. So I've started emailing him via the White House interactive website, asking him to put these on the agenda. Can we get our US Transition friends to send masses of communications to him re biodiversity and re-localising food (among other things)? If you need a zip code, use my childhood one--it's 90028 (Hollywood, California). I'm idealistic enough (I voted for him from the UK) to believe he might even take our messages on board. I’m also concerned about the ‘growth’ word, and no reference, in all the agenda items I’ve searched, to protecting and enhancing biodiversity. Nor to food security. So I’ve started emailing him via the White House interactive website, asking him to put these on the agenda. Can we get our US Transition friends to send masses of communications to him re biodiversity and re-localising food (among other things)? If you need a zip code, use my childhood one–it’s 90028 (Hollywood, California). I’m idealistic enough (I voted for him from the UK) to believe he might even take our messages on board.

]]> By: David Eggleton http://transitionculture.org/2009/01/20/where-does-obama-stand-on-rotting-whales-hopefully-not-on-the-mushy-bits/comment-page-1/#comment-61107 David Eggleton Thu, 22 Jan 2009 04:38:07 +0000 http://transitionculture.org/?p=2303#comment-61107 I winced when I heard "soil", too. The expectation that the oil party can be simulated well into the future is a strong one! I winced when I heard “soil”, too.

The expectation that the oil party can be simulated well into the future is a strong one!

]]> By: Graham Burnett http://transitionculture.org/2009/01/20/where-does-obama-stand-on-rotting-whales-hopefully-not-on-the-mushy-bits/comment-page-1/#comment-61098 Graham Burnett Wed, 21 Jan 2009 12:04:51 +0000 http://transitionculture.org/?p=2303#comment-61098 "and the soil to fuel our cars" I interpreted this as a pro-biofuels statement “and the soil to fuel our cars”

I interpreted this as a pro-biofuels statement

]]> By: Rob http://transitionculture.org/2009/01/20/where-does-obama-stand-on-rotting-whales-hopefully-not-on-the-mushy-bits/comment-page-1/#comment-61094 Rob Wed, 21 Jan 2009 10:23:31 +0000 http://transitionculture.org/?p=2303#comment-61094 Yes, I spotted that bit. We watched it and said 'hold on a minute' and had to rewind it and check we had heard right. 'Restore science it its rightful place' has an ominous ring to it. Sounds like an open door to GM for me. How can anything be said to have a 'rightful' place? Springboard for a GM biofuels revolution anyone? Yes, I spotted that bit. We watched it and said ‘hold on a minute’ and had to rewind it and check we had heard right. ‘Restore science it its rightful place’ has an ominous ring to it. Sounds like an open door to GM for me. How can anything be said to have a ‘rightful’ place? Springboard for a GM biofuels revolution anyone?

]]> By: Duncan Law http://transitionculture.org/2009/01/20/where-does-obama-stand-on-rotting-whales-hopefully-not-on-the-mushy-bits/comment-page-1/#comment-61093 Duncan Law Wed, 21 Jan 2009 10:15:31 +0000 http://transitionculture.org/?p=2303#comment-61093 Everything in his speech has been commented on except this which shows that in some ways he stands for the old thinking: ....lay a new foundation for growth. We will build the roads and bridges, the electric grids and digital lines that feed our commerce and bind us together. We will restore science to its rightful place, and wield technology's wonders to raise health care's quality and lower its cost. We will harness the sun and the winds and the soil to fuel our cars and run our factories. And we will transform our schools and colleges and universities to meet the demands of a new age. I see no sign of education even having heard of the Peak Oil Age. And I worry that fueling our cars is so important and is going to be done by sun and soil. This is not just a food issue but an eco-systems issue. We are trashing our life-support system. It is teetering now. Will Obama speed us on the short cut to the edge of the climate change cliff. For excellent background and an open letter to Obama from ETC group see http://www.etcgroup.org/en/materials/publications.html?pub_id=714 Everything in his speech has been commented on except this which shows that in some ways he stands for the old thinking:

….lay a new foundation for growth. We will build the roads and bridges, the electric grids and digital lines that feed our commerce and bind us together. We will restore science to its rightful place, and wield technology’s wonders to raise health care’s quality and lower its cost. We will harness the sun and the winds and the soil to fuel our cars and run our factories. And we will transform our schools and colleges and universities to meet the demands of a new age.

I see no sign of education even having heard of the Peak Oil Age. And I worry that fueling our cars is so important and is going to be done by sun and soil. This is not just a food issue but an eco-systems issue. We are trashing our life-support system. It is teetering now. Will Obama speed us on the short cut to the edge of the climate change cliff.

For excellent background and an open letter to Obama from ETC group see
http://www.etcgroup.org/en/materials/publications.html?pub_id=714

]]> By: Albert Bates http://transitionculture.org/2009/01/20/where-does-obama-stand-on-rotting-whales-hopefully-not-on-the-mushy-bits/comment-page-1/#comment-61089 Albert Bates Wed, 21 Jan 2009 01:04:25 +0000 http://transitionculture.org/?p=2303#comment-61089 What kind of biochar can you make from rotting whale? I imagine it would have a good amount of nitrogen already embedded. Perhaps Dr. Chu is already on this. What kind of biochar can you make from rotting whale? I imagine it would have a good amount of nitrogen already embedded. Perhaps Dr. Chu is already on this.

]]> By: Graham Burnett http://transitionculture.org/2009/01/20/where-does-obama-stand-on-rotting-whales-hopefully-not-on-the-mushy-bits/comment-page-1/#comment-61082 Graham Burnett Tue, 20 Jan 2009 18:46:15 +0000 http://transitionculture.org/?p=2303#comment-61082 Well I just sat through his inaugural speech and he didn't mention the rotting whale question once... Well I just sat through his inaugural speech and he didn’t mention the rotting whale question once…

]]> By: David Eggleton http://transitionculture.org/2009/01/20/where-does-obama-stand-on-rotting-whales-hopefully-not-on-the-mushy-bits/comment-page-1/#comment-61080 David Eggleton Tue, 20 Jan 2009 16:23:47 +0000 http://transitionculture.org/?p=2303#comment-61080 A wonderful point-of-departure, Rob. The whale story is reminiscent of some of Amory Lovins' analogies ("using a reactor to boil water is like using a cannon to ring a doorbell.") Unfortunately, change is one thing and sustainability is another. It will be easy to be non-Bush, but very difficult to choreograph and direct a national paradigm shift. There will be heavy pressure to restore what (recently) was, not our true life support systems. I hope to be pleasantly surprised! A wonderful point-of-departure, Rob. The whale story is reminiscent of some of Amory Lovins’ analogies (“using a reactor to boil water is like using a cannon to ring a doorbell.”)

Unfortunately, change is one thing and sustainability is another. It will be easy to be non-Bush, but very difficult to choreograph and direct a national paradigm shift. There will be heavy pressure to restore what (recently) was, not our true life support systems.

I hope to be pleasantly surprised!

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