Tapestry Press
Heat, How to Stop the Planet from Burning
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Tapestry Press
Heat, How to Stop the Planet from Burning
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Heat, How to Stop the Planet from Burning by George Monbiot. Published in 2007 by South End Press. 277p. In Christopher Marlowe’s version of The Tragical History of Dr. Faustus, the central character, a sensuous scholar bargains with Mephistopheles, the Devil’s servant. If granted 24 years of voluptuous living, he agrees to surrender his fate to the Devil. George Monbiot argues that this story provides a metaphor for climate change. Faustus represents humanity; Mephistopheles is fossil fuel. For the pleasures of fossil fuel, humanity will surrender its future. As an Englishman, the author focuses on Great Britain. With the help of a research assistant, he investigates the feasibility of cutting carbon emissions an impressive 90% by 2030. After an appropriate quote from Dr. Faustus, successive chapters evaluate the major sectors of energy use. Surprisingly, those sturdy brick English houses with the tile roofs fail tests of energy efficiency. In dramatic contrast, in Germany the passive house (or "passivhaus") is so very well built that it does not need either a heating or a cooling system. (There is no thermal bridge between the outer surface of the exterior wall and the inner surface of that wall.) In England energy conservation must come from energy sources, namely, fuel and electricity, that houses use. From English data, trains should be utilized for freight transport. Not trains, but buses offer the best transportation choice for people. George argues for new coaches with lots of leg room, work stations, media outlets, food, etc. He thinks of them as longer stretch-limousines. Utilizing buses for rapid travel between nodes and a couple of modifications of the current system, a 90% fuel reduction is possible. He explores electricity production and transmission. He finds promise in off shore wind farms. Unlike in the US and now in Britain, he advocates the transmission of DC current. Cuts in all sectors except one can effectively reduce our carbon emissions. That exception is aviation. Because it cannot be made efficient, we must sacrifice flying. It is encouraging that this rigorous evaluation arrives at a positive conclusion, a 90% reduction is possible for Great Britain. In the US with substantially greater area, a larger population, and many Americans living beyond their income, it’s not certain that George Monbiot’s conclusions apply. Given the example of the rapid transformation of US manufacturing required at our entry into World War II, he notes the possibility of a rapid shift to green choices in the US. Review written, Nov 1, 2010.
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