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Sep 20, 2012 Posted by Samuel Alexander

Ted Trainer’s Review of “Reinventing Fire”

Below is Ted Trainer’s review of Amory Lovins’ book, Reinventing Fire (2011). Reinventing Fire continues the presentation of the Lovins perspective, essentially the claim that there is great scope for conservation measures and alternative technologies to solve our problems and enable maintenance of rich world economies and lifestyles. He says at least 80% of US power, and possibly all of it... read more

Aug 6, 2012 Posted by Samuel Alexander

Degrowth, Expensive Oil, and the New Economics of Energy

The PDF is available here: “Degrowth, Expensive Oil, and the New Economics of Energy“ Our understandings and expectations of the world have been shaped by our experience of economic growth. The dynamic stability of that growth has habituated us to what is ‘normal.’ That normal must soon shatter. – David Korowicz Samuel Alexander[1] 1. Preparing for Life after Growth In this post I... read more

Jul 28, 2012 Posted by Samuel Alexander

David Holmgren Publishes Simplicity Institute Report: Retrofitting the Suburbs

I’m pleased to announce that David Holmgren, co-originator of the permaculture concept, has just published a Simplicity Institute Report, entitled “Retrofitting the Suburbs for the Energy Descent Future.” I’ve provided a short overview of Holmgren’s essay below, and the full report is available at the Simplicity Institute here. Sometimes well-meaning ‘green’... read more

Jul 20, 2012 Posted by Samuel Alexander

What is a Transition Town?

The following introductory article on Transition Towns was published on the Permaculture Research Institute and will soon be appearing in the Zero Carbon Moreland bulletin. The ‘Transition Town’ movement burst onto the scene merely six years ago in Ireland, and yet already there are almost two thousand Transition Towns around the world. There are dozens right here in Australia. Given that some people... read more

Jul 3, 2012 Posted by Samuel Alexander

Resilience through Simplification: Revisiting Tainter’s Theory of Collapse

A society or other institution can be destroyed by the cost of sustaining itself. – Joseph Tainter I managed to write one final paper prior to the new semester beginning, this time on the subject of Joseph Tainter’s theory of complexity and collapse. The paper has just been published with the Permaculture Research Institute of Australia and will be also published in two parts on the Energy... read more

May 19, 2012 Posted by Samuel Alexander

Transition 2.0: A Story of Hope and Resilience in Extraordinary Times

Sorry about the late notice, but Transition Coburg, in association with Sharing Abundance and the Moreland Energy Foundation, is screening a film on Sunday 20 May (i.e. tomorrow or perhaps today, depending on when you get this email) at the Coburg library at 3.45 pm. We are showing the new film, Transition 2.0: A Story of Hope and Resilience in Extraordinary Times. If you are in Melbourne and would like to... read more

Apr 29, 2012 Posted by Samuel Alexander

Can Renewable Energy Sustain Consumer Societies?

Ted Trainer has just published a new report with the Simplicity Institute, which explores the question of whether renewable energy could ever sustain consumer societies. My summary of Trainer’s report (see below) has just appeared on the Post Carbon Institute’s Energy Bulletin, which is available here. The full 22-page report is available here. A new report has just been published... read more

Invitation / Incitation

The Simplicity Collective is founded upon the idea that a 'simpler life' of reduced resource and energy consumption is a viable and desirable alternative to consumer culture.

Our position is that simple living will improve not only our own lives, but the lives of others, as well as help save our planet from the environmental catastrophe towards which we are so enthusiastically marching.

We must not just fall in line, then, and continue the march ‘business as usual.’ We must explore alternative ways to live. We must experiment creatively, like the artist. We must be the poets of our own lives and of a new generation.