Description
Book SynopsisThe Energy Reader presents a series of readings that examine the energy problem from an anthropological perspective and look at energy holistically, including social and cultural components and long term implications for global and social environmental change.
Trade Review“Overall, The Energy Reader provides a necessary, timely, and unique collection of materials to drive these critical conversations forward.” (Culture, Agriculture, Food and Environment, 12 June 2013)
Table of ContentsList of Figures xii
List of Tables xiv
Preface xv
Laura Nader
Acknowledgments xx
Introduction 1
Laura Nader, Leticia Cesarino, and Chris Hebdon
Part I The Energy Problem 17
1. Social Power and the Future 19
Richard Newbold Adams
2. Energy and the Rise of American Industrial Society 32
Ian Barbour, Harvey Brooks, Sanford Lakoff, and John Opie
3. Energy Transitions in Historical Perspective 45
Martin Melosi
Energy in Action 1 61
Contemplating the Abyss: The Role of Environmental Degradation in the Collapse of Human Societies
William Rees
4. Introduction to the Steady-State Economy 65
Herman E. Daly
Energy in Action 2 84
Net-Zero Energy Home Generating an Energy Surplus
5. Dimensions of the ‘‘People Problem’’ in Energy Research and ‘‘the’’ Factual Basis of Dispersed Energy Futures 87
Laura Nader and Norman Milleron
6. Red Land and Uranium Mining: How the Search for Energy Is Endangering Indian Tribal Lands 105
Winona La Duke
Energy in Action 3 110
How Energy Search Challenges Indian Tribal Life
Mark Stevens
7. The House that Uranium Built: Perspectives on the Effects of Exposure on Individuals and Community 113
Margaret Amalia Hiesinger
8. Uranium Mining and Milling: Navajo Experiences in the American Southwest 132
Barbara Rose Johnston, Susan E. Dawson, and Gary E. Madsen
Part II Mind-Sets – a Critical Perspective 147
9. ‘‘Introduction,’’ The Idea of Progress: An Inquiry Into Its Origin and Growth 149
Charles A. Beard
10. On the Road to Riches 162
Henry Ford
11. Energy Strategy: The Road Not Taken? 166
Amory B. Lovins
12. Barriers to Thinking New About Energy 198
Laura Nader
13. The Three-Cornered Constellation: Magic, Science, and Religion Revisited 205
Laura Nader
14. Energy as it Relates to the Quality and Style of Life 219
Laura Nader and Stephen Beckerman
15. Conclusions – Replacing Myths with Maxims: Rethinking the Relationship Between Energy and American Society 246
Benjamin K. Sovacool and Marilyn A. Brown
Part III The Politics of Energy 265
16. ‘‘Prologue,’’ The Politics of Energy 267
Barry Commoner
17. The Middle East: Geostrategy and Oil 271
Rashid Khalidi
18. Winning the Oil Endgame 282
Amory B. Lovins
19. ‘‘Introduction,’’ Power Struggle: The 100 Year War Over Electricity 287
Richard Rudolph and Scott Ridley
20. The Overcharge in the Light Bill 290US Senator Lee Metcalf and Vic Reinemer
21. Human Rights 305
Jim Garrison and Pyare Shivpuri
Energy in Action 4 309
Three Mile Island: 30th Anniversary of the Worst Nuclear Accident in US History
22. The Politics of Energy: Toward a Bottom-Up Approach 313
Laura Nader
Energy in Action 5 318
A New Gang Comes to Los Angeles: Solar-Panel Installers
Miriam Jordan
Part IV Energy Choices 321
23. ‘‘Introduction,’’ ‘‘The Problem of Externalities,’’ and ‘‘Coal and Corporate Power,’’ Coal: A Memoir and Critique 323
Duane Lockard
Energy in Action 6 351
Rural Renewal: Small-Town America Looks to Alternative Energy for a Lifeline
Jennifer Vogel
24. There Was Blood 353
Caleb Crain
Energy in Action 7 363
Capitol Climate Action: Mass Civil Disobedience in DC Against Use of Coal at Capitol Hill Power Plant
25. Unconventional Crude: Canada’s Synthetic-Fuels Boom 368
Elizabeth Kolbert
Energy in Action 8 377
Poop Powers California Cars as Orange County Converts Sewage
Alan Ohnsman
26. Nuclear Power: Climate Fix or Folly? 380
Amory B. Lovins, Imran Sheikh, and Alex Markevich
Energy in Action 9 399
Power Q&A: S. David Freeman
Dave Gilson
27. Solar Possibilities 402
Denis Hayes
Energy in Action 10 413
Workers Retrain for Wind-Energy Jobs
Maria Dickerson
28. Cool Communities: Strategies for Heat Island Mitigation and Smog Reduction 415
Arthur H. Rosenfeld, Hashem Akbari, Joseph J. Romm, and Melvin Pomerantz
Energy in Action 11 439
First Rosebud Wind Turbine Generates Support: An Interview with Intertribal COUP Secretary Robert Gough
Tara Tidwell
29. Ethanol Production: Energy, Economic, and Environmental Losses 442
David Pimentel, Tad Patzek, and Gerald Cecil
Energy in Action 12 458
Biofuels Do Far More Harm Than Good
George Monbiot
Part V Power Shifts 461
30. Natural Capitalism 463
Paul Hawken
Energy in Action 13 476
With Energy in Focus, Heat Pumps Win Fans
Liz Galst
31. An Unstable Concoction of Interests 479
Tadeusz W. Patzek
Energy in Action 14 481
Shell Dumps Wind, Solar and Hydro Power in Favor of Biofuels
Tim Webb
32. Ticket to Ride 48
Ben Adler
Energy in Action 15 487
Get on the Bus
Laura C. Dean
33. Selling the Sun 488
Michael Behar
Energy in Action 16 498
Eight Energy Suggestions for Obama, from SunEdison’s Founder
Kate Galbraith
34. The Island in the Wind 500
Elizabeth Kolbert
Energy in Action 17 514
A Cool Idea
Elizabeth Kolbert
Part VI Energy Choices in a Democratic Society 515
35. The Harder Path – Shifting Gears 517
Laura Nader
Energy in Action 18 535
The Showhouse that Sustainability Built
Barnaby J. Feder
36. Who Shall Decide? 538
Laura Nader
Index 541
