Optimism about transition to renewable energy

by Ugo Bardi

A few weeks ago, I posted on "Cassandra's legacy" the result of an informal survey among experts in renewable energy.

Ugo Bardi.

I asked about the chances of a transition to a world that would be completely powered by renewable energy, and about the chances of being able to attain that before climate change becomes a true catastrophe. Out of some 70 respondents, the large majority was of the opinion that a fast 100% renewable transition is possible and that can be attained without the need of heroic efforts.

I must confess that I found that result surprisingly optimistic, probably because I tend to frequent rather doomerish circles (and note the name of my blog!). Indeed, the people who read doomer sites seem to be even more pessimistic than me. So, "Reverse Engineer" of the "Doomstead Diner" ran the same survey with his readership, finding completely different results. In the Diner's survey, some 250 people participated and 54% of them said flatly that the renewable transition is impossible.

Read the story on Cassandra’s Legacy - “Will Renewables Ever Replace Fossils? The Results of a New Survey.”

Mum's death prompts thoughts of global Alzheimer's disease

My parents had been married for 58 years when my mother died.

That was a terrible loss for my father, then 86 years old, and I was much worried about his health. But I was relieved when I saw that, after a few months, he seemed to have recovered from the shock. He remained active and he could manage his everyday life without special assistance. He could take the bus, alone, and walk alone in the neighborhood. He even made new friends and spent time with them.

However, something was wrong with my father. Terribly  wrong.

Read Ugo Bardi’s story on Cassandra's Legacy - “No ghost in the machine: is humankind suffering of a global Alzheimer disease?”