Nexus - 0107 - New Times Magazine-pages

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range of factors now known to be influenced by human activity idea. Either way, we must all slash our energy consumption - interacting with broader cycles within an epoch of glacial and drastically in the next few years. interglacial periods. Each glacial period has been preceded by “Neither combustion of fossil fuels nor nuclear power offer increases in global CO, - a greenhouse effect. answers to energy supply in the future,” said Swedish Govern- This has led some (including Hamaker - see Nexus No 4) to ment Minister Mrs Birgitta Dahl last July. Sweden’s energy propose that a differential greenhouse effect is actually taking conservation programme has seen energy demand fall below the place. In this scenario, increased greenhouse gases will raise level of a decade ago - when it was estimated its energy temperatures at first, loading to an increase in atmospheric water consumption should have doubled by today - at little cost vapour - clouds. These will in turn reflect more heat into space living standards. ‘ than is absorbed by the lower atmosphere - tipping the scales into Viable soft technology for lighting purposes is available right a period of rapid cooling. The next ice age is geologically now. Most appliances are inefficiently stepped down from mains overdue and it’s possible that industrial effects have simply voltages anyway, and can easily be converted to solar, wind or delayed its onset. water power. Using electricity more wisely in our homes and workspaces will save an enormous amount of fossil fuels. OUT OF FRYING PAN INTO FIRE2 Electricity grids were built inefficiently (by today’s standards) and much generated power is lost over the distances it must travel from a centralised source. Local electric generation must in- Electric power generation and transportation are the prime crease. causes of greenhouse warming - our reliance on coal, oil and gas. Transportation alternatives are another question. Various so- The greenhouse effect has become a post-Chernoby| rallying cry lutions are already here, though many have been held up by for pro-nuclear power lobbyists, who claim that nuclear power monopolisation and convention. is the ‘only solution’. As nations such as China, Taiwan, South Korea and Malay- But how can nuclear power possibly provide energy for trans- sia pave the way for Third World industrialisation it’s essential portation in the near future? The US consumes about a quarter of that the unclear/nuclear ‘option’ leaves the agenda so we can all the world’s energy and produces about one-fifth of its CO, getdown to the real business of changing our energy sources and emissions - but electricity represents only about 20% of its total use throughout the planet - an awe-inspiring but possible feat. energy consumption. We also have only a few decades’ supply The time for avoiding massive changes is gone - now we must of Uranium. Trading the result of one form of industrial excess for redirect them. a potentially worse industrial nightmare doesn’t seem a good | 4 NEXUS New Times Seven - Summer 1989 idea. Either way, we must all slash our energy consumption drastically in the next few years. “Neither combustion of fossil fuels nor nuclear power offer answers to energy supply in the future,” said Swedish Govern- ment Minister Mrs Birgitta Dahl last July. Sweden’s energy conservation programme has seen energy demand fall below the level of a decade ago - when it was estimated its energy consumption should have doubled by today - at little cost to living standards. Viable soft technology for lighting purposes is available eight now. Most appliances are inefficiently stepped down from mains voltages anyway, and can easily be converted to solar, wind or water power. Using electricity more wisely in our homes and workspaces will save an enormous amount of fossil fuels. Electricity grids were built inefficiently (by today’s standards) and much generated power is lost over the distances it must travel from a centralised source. Local electric generation must in- Electric power generation and transportation are the prime causes of greenhouse warming - our reliance on coal, oil and gas. The greenhouse effect has become a post-Chernoby| rallying cry for pro-nuclear power lobbyists, who claim that nuclear power is the ‘only solution’. But how can nuclear power possibly provide energy for trans- portation in the near future? The US consumes about a quarter of the world’s energy and produces about one-fifth of its CO, emissions - but electricity represents only about 20% of its total energy consumption. We also have only a few decades’ supply of Uranium. Trading the result of one form of industrial excess for a potentially worse industrial nightmare doesn’t seem a good crease. Transportation alternatives are another question. Various so- lutions are already here, though many have been held up by monopolisation and convention. As nations such as China, Taiwan, South Korea and Malay- sia pave the way for Third World industrialisation it’s essential that the unclear/nuclear ‘option’ leaves the agenda so we can all getdown to the real business of changing our energy sources and use throughout the planet - an awe-inspiring but possible feat. The time for avoiding massive changes is gone - now we must redirect them. OUT OF FRYING PAN INTO FIRE? 4 NEXUS New Times Seven - Summer 1989