I have become increasingly convinced in the last year or two that the physical and chemical characteristics of our principal technology -- energy -- is the principal shaper of both our physical infrastructure and also of our social relationships. In short, coal, and more latterly, oil and gas technologies, are more to be blamed for the serious shortcomings of our present western society, particularly community breakdown and the decline of trust, than any 'isms' or institutions.
This is why I'm particularly excited by the possibility (I would suggest certainty) of the genetic production of hydrogen as being the main energy technology as cheap oil and gas peter out in the coming decades. Quite besides being non-polluting, hydrogen, as as energy source, has quite different characteristics from fossil fuels. In particular it will lend itself to highly dispersed production units -- both of potable energy and consumer goods. It is a curious fact of history that trends in certain directions often take place well before all the constituent factors are in place. This, I believe, is happening on the energy front. A brilliant book by Amory B. Lovins, "Small is Profitable: The Hidden Economic Benefits of Making Electrical Resources the Right Size", shows that, even in the energy present regime, great advantages could be gained by dispersing electrical production more widely. This was waiting for me on my return from holiday and I've been spellbound ever since. I recommend this to any FWers who are interested in the more fundamental matters of our existence -- that is, how particular types of society survive thermodynamically. Keith Hudson ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------- Keith Hudson,6 Upper Camden Place, Bath BA1 5HX, England Tel:01225 312622/444881; Fax:01225 447727; E-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] ________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________ Futurework mailing list [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://scribe.uwaterloo.ca/mailman/listinfo/futurework
