Summer Reading...

I'm currently reading, "End of Oil" by Paul Roberts. I"m halfway through it and the author makes some excellent points about various topics ranging from alternative energy, demand, peak oil, geopolitics, global warming, consumer trends, government and energy, etc, etc, etc.

The chapters weave an interesting tale the worlds unwillingness to change patterns of consumption and how current developing nations (namely China and India) idolize lifestyles of USA, Japan, South Korea. These developing countries will ultimately end up increasing consumption per capita to grasp this lifestyle.

***Consider this: China has over 20% of world's population yet less than 2% of world's oil reserves.

***developing countries can NOT afford to pay extra for more efficient and less polluting cars and factories. Fuel efficiency is an afterthought.

***when developing countries DO achieve higher efficiency and consuming less energy, they do not reduce consumption of fossil fuels. Instead they "reinvest" their "efficiency dividend" by increasing production and lowering unit costs and effectively becoming more competitive in the world markets.

The book is very readable and compliments the information in "Twilight in the Desert" and "The Prize."