Richard Heinberg: why end of growth can mean more happiness

[gonephishin77]

I appologize if i missed it, but what area does this gentleman live... i live in michigan and am very curious as to what areas in the united states would have a nice climate year around for something similar?

[kirstendirksen]

@gonephishin77 He lives in Northern California.

[mellamosean]

He said that as oil prices go up we'll be forced to grow more locally, although that's not necessarily true. Technological innovation will lead to cheaper and more plentiful energy. If you don't acknowledge that you'll have a hard time finding middle ground with those who have more faith in the capitalist system.

[an691]

Do you think that cunt would say what the US needs is a $2 tax a gallon at least for a minimal chance of anything ?

Of course not, typical ugly Amewican asshole

[an691]

Americans are collapsing swines, disgusting filthy pigs, biggest failure the world has ever seen for sure

[mellamosean]

@an691

I spy,

with my little eye,

a troll

[an691]

@mellamosean

lol, "troll", the magic word to escape everything ...

[raywint]

@an691 Really? All Americans? You are a fool.

[an691]

@raywint

not all of them of course, but almost, like 99%

[davidpaganbutler]

Listening to Richard sends a tingle down my spine. I guess he just resonates with what I've always thought but never been eloquent enough to present it with such clarity. And a beautifully crafted film. loved it.

[NothingIsNew88]

Bravo! this man is speaking to my heart. 

[churtig1]

This is a great video, some people shouldn't jump on his back and criticize his every word. He lays down some great points and the bottom line is that a system that calls for infinite growth cannot survive in a world with finite resources.

[bcanne1]

It's actually a different letter (Phi or phi) that describe a specific ratio, which is generally aesthetically pleasing.

[elstado1]

10:35 why does he pronounce Pi as "phee" instead of "pie" as most do? I've never heard of it pronounced like that before.

[elstado1]

1:13 "about a dozen years ago" .. really, who says that? Why not just say "about 12 years ago"?

[RealityCheck05]

4:23 - An unsubstantiated claim that damages credibility of the one making it by virtue of the definition of "economical".

He speaks as if capital is a finite resource rather than something we create.

It seems self-conflicting to suggest a level of happiness inversely proportional to the cost of energy while simultaneously advocating use of "alternative" means to mitigate those costs.

[Kirkebyen]

@signalfire6 You may be right in that case! But Denmark is also a part of the war in the ME, and our army may be a lot smaller, but we are also just 6 million inhabitants compared to US 312 million inhabitants, so there is less people in Denmark to pay for the military costs, so the price per Gallon(for the danes) would be higher then $12.

[keitha1200]

Top bloke! plenty of good common sense without the 'doom' and 'gloom' nonsense from the usual sources.

[1971mgb]

Great video essay. I believe the latest recession is the best thing that has happened in a very long time.

[Silkymits2000]

Wheat consumption is not essential. I have followed the paleo diet for 9 months now and I feel better not eating wheat. No wheat would not be a problem if there was enough other foods to eat.

[politicoaz]

@Silkymits2000 I agree. I've made a switch similar to yours, following a paleo/primal diet. I was thinking the same thing as you as I watched this. I was thinking, if I could grow this much food in my yard, and subsidize my calorie needs with locally-raised meat, Or, perhaps in the future, I could hunt my food/meat, then the energy needs for my food could be drastically reduced. The calorie needs can be met by eating high-quality fats. It seems possible.

[Silkymits2000]

@politicoaz I actually loved this video for so many reasons. The wheat thing was the only thing I didn't agree on. We are all going through a learning curve and paleo is still new to me. I eat a lot of Kangaroo as I am Australian. If we could sustainably and humanely harvest locally produced meat that is indigenous too that would be the ultimate for the environment. Paleo has opened my eyes to many new things.

[itsandbits1]

@Silkymits2000

everyone should take a good hard look at the moringa tree as a supplement to the typical foodplants. Im pretty sure it will grow in parts of north america

[Silkymits2000]

@itsandbits1 I checked out the Moringa tree. Amazing. Next time I am in the botanical gardens I will look for it. You can buy the seed from Kenya according to the website I looked at. It grows in Mexico. Theses would not be importable here due to quarantine restrictions. I would love to grow dates another useful tree.

[itsandbits1]

@Silkymits2000

there's a fellow in Texas; "organicmike" on here, that is growing them and they are being sold in the america's, I think they're too late to stop except with climate. Check out ebay, they're being distributed out of florida, ontario, and other places. They are widely used as a food source in africa,india,to name a couple. Not a great looking tree/shrub, but things look better the more value they have.

[OUTOFGAS88]

a great message from a white savage.

[Uriel1816]

Excellent presentation of ideas that are meaningful and hold a truth that is to be embraced.

Thanks!

[aquavitae108]

Keep up the good work! Your films are awesome and really inspiring!

[thomasmccarty09]

:)

[Chillitz]

@thomasmccarty09 It made me smile too

[Kirkebyen]

@kirstendirksen I can see what you mean with it doesn't feel cheap! In Denmark, where i come from, the gas prices have almost doubled in the past 5-7 years, so I know the feeling! hope you will correct me, but what i found, the gas prices in the US is around $3-4 per gallon, and in Denmark there are around $8,58 per gallon so it's alot more exspensive!

It's just when we in Denmark are seeing TV from the US, and people complain about the exspensive gas, we're saying that they see our gas prices.

[peacewavenow]

Richard Heinberg deserves a Nobel Prize. Thanks you for the inspiring video.

[signalfire6]

@peacewavenow I second that! Richard is one of my favorite authors on peak oil and sustainability. He brings a quiet reverence to the subject that is inspiring. 

[Kirkebyen]

A good video, but from what i know gas in the US is cheap!

[kirstendirksen]

@Kirkebyen You're right. Compared to much of the rest of the world it's much cheaper-- about half what you pay in Europe. But in the past few years gas prices in the US have doubled so it doesn't feel cheap to most Americans.

[quintacabecadomato]

@Kirkebyen

we should be looking at the cost to the enviroment , which has nothing to do with the cost in money

[signalfire6]

@Kirkebyen What most don't realize is that what with military expenditures to insure our continued access to ME oil, the real cost to every American is more like $12 a gallon. It also takes an astonishing amount of fuel to keep the US military going every day, all of which is being burned for no purpose except empire.

[cloudld]

@Kirkebyen I think it is cheaper here because the USD is the currency used to trade oil worldwide. If that changes, our oil prices will jump drastically overnight.

[Lebles90]

Yeh I love these videos also. Love the space saving/compact living videos the most. Really interesting how you can have so much with so little space. I want to do a project like this in the future and get the word out there.

[chucks970]

that was a good one

[vlk40]

I found this video especially inspiring- thank you so much!

[areyouserial]

If you look at the inflation-adjusted cost of fuel it's relatively stable. Check out the The Guardian newspaper website for the graph. Gas prices have not been rising, when you adjust for inflation.

[todbrilliant]

@areyouserial What if you consider the amount that gas prices are subsidized to keep them artificially low? True gas/gallon would be around $8 without these... or even higher... don't have current data on hand.

[areyouserial]

@todbrilliant Retail rice stability is the issue, not real cost of oil. It helps to disambiguate "subsidy." I've heard $7 from Congressman Paul, referring to the real cost per gallon when you factor in the cost of the military required to enable us to have access to oil without interruption. It would be interesting to see if the military/security cost has gone up as a percentage of what we pay. If we were spending more, as a percentage or the retail price, that would be relevant I think.

[sogua2000]

When you make home make things, you get a sense of satisfaction that feed your soul and make you more happy, mental stable, caring, etc. You can not get that sense of fullness buying stuff all the time, actually make you feel more empty and that why people smoke, eat more, get drunk, etc.

[Khamomil]

He thinks oil is necessary for grain growing/harveting but grain is one of the oldest staples known in history and before the huge machinery the harvest was a landmark in the calendar when neighbors helped each other to form teams so that all the harvest was done in time. The surface sown in wheat was not as big as it is today but smaller fields were a protection against plant pests and diseases and allowed wildlife to thrive.

[metalWIENERsolid]

Cool now i know how i want to grow my weed...s.

[wewilhelm]

Great Piece, Thank you very much great job!

[wewilhelm]

Love this just wish the county government here in Lee county Florida would with Mr. Heinberg.

[signalfire6]

Richard Heinberg is my hero! We need someone like him in the White House, every seat in Congress, every head of every corporation.  Thank you for all your videos, but especially for this one! :)

[BoringPeopleEnt]

these videos are great!

[duke1duke1]

If you look at the gold/oil ratio, you can see the price of oil in terms of gold has fallen dramatically. What's happening is the value of a worthless fiat paper currency is evaporating, so all commodities are going up in nominal terms (including oil). That does not mean oil is getting more expensive, but the value of paper currency is dropping.

[duke1duke1]

Oil is getting cheaper because improved technology involved in resource extraction. You can buy more oil now with a 1960 silver dime than in 1960. The beauty of humans is that we have reason, which can solve technological problems.

[duke1duke1]

Oil is getting cheaper because improved technology involved in resource extraction. You can buy more oil now with a 1960 silver dime than in 1960. The beauty of humans is that we have reason, which can solve technological problems.

[TruthWarriorFilms]

Oil drilled from 30,000 plus feet down is Abiotic Oil - you are being lied to. Oil is not a fossil fuel... Of course the corporations don't want you to know that. They fund these Green Religions, period!

[TruthWarriorFilms]

@LetTheMelodyFlow - So 40+ years of research in your pot-smoking head is considered "far too little'?... Either learn the facts or go back to your trance.

[todbrilliant]

@LetTheMelodyFlow This isn't true. Much research has been done on abiotic oil... in fact, you can listen to Richard discuss these studies in some detail in last week's 'Coast to Coast' radio show. Go look it up, listen, and learn.

[rixanoz]

These films are such an inspiration, and a powerful reminder of what we all should keep in mind at all times, sustainable development and consumption. Thank you!

[wasjunk11]

ME TOO

[PegCityTanya]

@wasjunk11 ME THREE

[CaLebHillSmallMt]

i love these videos and i watch them as soon as they are uploaded.

i cant tell you how inspiring these are to me

[pedrononiwa]

@CaLebHillSmallMt I'm so like that !! I rush to watch them as soon as I see they're new :p