A cursory glance at a picture of a brain from above shows that the neo-cortex is divided. These two hemispheres are not symmetrical in form or in function. Whilst debate continues about the function of each hemisphere, there is no doubt that they are different. The divided brain The psychologist Ian McGilchrist describes the difference … Read more
As fossil fuels peter out the future of energy generation will be renewables. The problem with renewable energy is that it has much lower net energy than fossil fuels. It takes energy to make energy. The reason fossil fuels have a higher net energy gain than renewables is because fossil fuels are very concentrated forms … Read more
There are many reasons why people chose lives of sufficiency and voluntary simplicity. People can become slaves to the belief that we need stuff that we don’t really need. The pressures and demands of modern lifestyles are not necessary and can be eschewed for considerable benefit. Many people are making the decision to simplify their … Read more
Plastics were a boon when they were first developed, like many technologies, but they have quickly become a plastic plague on the environment. Plastics were the wonder material of the twentieth century. It’s hard to believe that Bakelite, the first true man-made plastic, was synthesised in 1907, just over a century ago. Manufacturers didn’t mass produce plastics, which … Read more
Coppicing wood is a method of sustainable woodland management used for millennia to provide wood resources. Wood is a natural and versatile resource that can be used for a wide variety of purposes. It is a carbon neutral fuel resource if it is regrown. Coppicing takes advantage of the fact that certain trees can make new … Read more
Water, water everywhere…but who owns water? All people need clean, fresh water because it is what we are made of. The average human is 60% water by weight. Water has an important role in nearly every major function in the body, regulating body temperature, carrying nutrients and oxygen to cells, removing waste, cushioning joints and … Read more
Energy will never be as cheap as it is now. The question is do we act now and transition to a low-energy society while energy is still cheap, or do we paint ourselves into a corner? Global trade will only work until cheap fossil fuels run out. This is definitely going to happen (read more about … Read more