A review of John G. Howe's book about peak oil and its implications for modern society
Anyone seeking a basic understanding of the concept of peak oil will find a useful reference tool in John G. Howe’s “The End of Fossil Energy and the Last Chance for Survival” (2006, McIntire Publishing).
While Howe’s book could have benefited from more thorough editing for flow and readability (McIntire is a self-publishing/private publishing provider, rather than a traditional publisher), he makes a persuasive and well researched case for a frightening premise: that the supply of fossil fuels our society depends upon will soon begin to decline precipitously and that no other alternative energy source can come close to replacing it in time.
Many analysts and policy-makers agree with that first part: that fossil fuel production will soon peak, then dwindle (although some push the peak well into mid-century, while Howe asserts we’ve already reached that point). But more hold out hope for alternatives that can replace our current fuels, while Howe, a retired engineer, takes a dimmer view. Renewable energy in all its forms today provides only a small fraction of what fossil fuels do, he emphasizes. Worse yet, he adds, to advance alternative fuel technologies far beyond our current capacity would require an increased use of … fossil fuels, thus only speeding up our energy decline.
It’s definitely a bleak picture, and Howe’s proposed Five Percent plan – which calls for an immediate effort to cut energy consumption by five percent each year through 2050 – is less than reassuring, considering its implications for modern society as we know it today. However, whichever forecast you believe – from rosy to downright apocalyptic – it’s hard to argue with Howe’s fundamental assertion: that we, especially those of us in developed nations, are gobbling up natural resources like there’s no tomorrow, that our lifestyles hare having a devastating impact on our environment and our health, and that, if we don’t quickly change our ways, the party will soon be over. (“The Party’s Over,” in fact, is the title of a book about peak oil by Richard Heinberg, a research fellow of the Post Carbon Institute.)
By laying out in detail our current energy consumption and production trends, and by providing many, many helpful references, “The End of Fossil Energy” can provide a valuable starting point for any reader concerned about building a more sustainable lifestyle and preserving a livable world for future generations.
