Climate Change Archives – Page 4 of 6 – Center for the Advancement of the Steady State Economy

Bad Bros and Their Bitcoin

April 22, 2021/9 Comments/in Banking, Climate Change, Energy, Environment, Money and Investments, Steady State Herald, Sustainability, Technology /by Brian Czech

by Brian Snyder

Bitcoin needs to end, now. And other blockchain-based currencies along with it. If, like many people, you only have a vague idea of what Bitcoin is, you need to know two critical facts. First, Bitcoin is a currency that is “mined” via computing calculations, and second, in aggregate those calculations use about as much energy as the nation of Argentina. To make matters worse, that energy use is growing.

A recent analysis in Nature Communications estimated that by 2024 bitcoin mining in China alone would require nearly 300 terawatt-hours (TWh),

Let’s Meet in the Ring: Steady Staters in the “Green Doughnut”

January 28, 2021/4 Comments/in Climate Change, Economic Growth, Economic Policy, Environment, Steady State Economy, Steady State Herald /by Brian Czech

By Kayla Downs

To most people, the idea of a steady state economy is misunderstood at best and completely unknown at worst. Outside of economic, environmental, and academic circles, steady staters are hard to come by. The idea of a steady state economy is not yet mainstream and is shied away from in the media, general politics, education, and culture. Economic growth has been sold to generations as the remedy to all our ailments.

The Meat of the Matter: Diet, Climate, and the Steady State Economy

October 30, 2020/3 Comments/in Animal Welfare, Climate Change, Economic Growth, Economic Policy, Population, Steady State Economy, Steady State Herald, Sustainability /by Brian Czech

by Haley Demircan

The saying “you are what you eat” is clearly true to a great extent, but there’s more to the story. The food we consume not only affects our being directly, but also the environment and the economy—and therefore us indirectly as well. Eating more vegetables and less meat and dairy is better for the health of most individuals here and now, and certainly for the health of the planet, now and for the long run.

A Life on Our Planet: A Tentative Step Toward Mainstream Steady Statesmanship

October 23, 2020/4 Comments/in Biodiversity, Climate Change, Economic Growth, Economic Policy, Endangered Species, Environment, Steady State Economy, Steady State Herald, Sustainability /by Brian Czech

by James MacGregor Palmer

Sir David Attenborough is nothing short of a national treasure in the UK. The 93-year-old nature broadcaster’s lyrical but soft-spoken narration is instantly recognizable, providing the backdrop for many Britons’ most vivid on-screen encounters with the natural world.

Attenborough’s career has spanned well over half a century, bringing the world’s wildlife to our screens. While initially his focus was merely on bringing viewers a taste of the planet’s brilliant biodiversity,

Colorado River: “Lifeline of the Southwest” Suffering Effects of Economic Growth and Climate Change

October 1, 2020/3 Comments/in Climate Change, Consumption, Economic Growth, Economic Policy, Food and Agriculture, Steady State Economy, Steady State Herald /by Brian Czech

by Haley Demircan

The Colorado River, also known as the “Lifeline of the Southwest,” spreads along 1,450 miles (2,330 kilometers), from northern Colorado to the Gulf of California in northwestern Mexico. This legendary river provides water for 40 million people in cities such as Denver, Phoenix, Los Angeles, Las Vegas and San Diego, as well as millions of acres of vital farmland. Seven states rely on the Colorado River as a primary source of water.

Wealth Transfers, Carbon Dioxide Removal, and the Steady State Economy

September 17, 2020/5 Comments/in Climate Change, Economic Growth, Economic Policy, Energy, Environment, Poverty, Steady State Economy, Steady State Herald, Sustainability /by Brian Czech

by Brian Snyder

In 2019, the U.S. per capita GDP was $65,000. It seems obvious that this level of economic activity is more than sufficient to meet the needs of the U.S. population; after all, if we can’t live fulfilled, productive lives in an economy producing $65,000 per person per year, more money and production will never be enough. Further, additional per capita economic growth in the USA is uneconomic. For example, economic growth to $75,000 per person per year will not increase our economic wellbeing nearly as much as it will decrease ecological wellbeing;

The Silver Lining of the COVID-Caused Recession is Fading Fast

August 20, 2020/5 Comments/in Climate Change, Consumption, Economic Growth, Economic Policy, Energy, Environment, Steady State Economy, Steady State Herald, Sustainability /by Brian Czech

by Madeline Baker

From February to mid-April 2020, in an early and shocking stage of the COVID-19 pandemic, greenhouse gas emissions plummeted worldwide. Nowhere was the reduction more notable than in China, the country with the highest emissions. According to Lauri Myllyvirta, the lead analyst at the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air, China’s carbon dioxide emissions fell by 25 percent from the end of January through mid-February. Also,

Book Review: Crazy Climate and Rigged Economies by Gerry Greaves

July 29, 2020/0 Comments/in Climate Change, Economic Growth, Economic Policy, Steady State Economy, Steady State Herald /by Brian Czech

By Skyler Perkins

Crazy Climate and Rigged Economies begins with a story of a boy who aspires to engineer a bridge. That young boy was author Gerry Greaves, and though he never designed a bridge during his career as a structural engineer, his new book offers a conceptual bridge to a sustainable society. Greaves guides readers through the challenges of our unsustainable and rigged economy and promotes solutions to stabilize our democracy,

Crossroads for Planet of the Humans

May 27, 2020/31 Comments/in Brian Czech, Climate Change, Economic Growth, Economic Policy, Energy, Environment, Steady State Economy, Steady State Herald, Sustainability, Technology /by Brian Czech

by William Rees

[Editor’s Note: The Steady State Herald first published a review of Planet of the Humans on May 1. The following review adds valuable information to the dialog.]

“It stands to reason…”

Who hasn’t heard this expression in everyday conversation? Humans tend to think of themselves as rational beings, and many people sincerely believe they are being reasonable all the time.

Planet of the Humans Puts Sacred Cows Out to Pasture

May 1, 2020/73 Comments/in Brian Czech, Climate Change, Economic Growth, Economic Policy, Energy, Environment, Population, Steady State Economy, Steady State Herald, Sustainability, Technology /by Brian Czech

by Brian Czech

Planet of the Humans is a once-in-a-decade documentary for all concerned with the environment, the economy, and life on Earth. Directed by Jeff Gibbs and produced by Michael Moore, Planet is especially important for advancing the steady state economy. It is reminiscent of Pope Francis’ Laudato si’ in that it makes the case for a steady state economy—resoundingly—while never quite uttering the phrase “steady state economy.”

When viewing a documentary,