Affordable energy vital, USU professor says
Educator is quoted in upcoming DiCaprio film
The title of the film refers to the conviction that Earth is running out of options and that humans can save the world by making important changes. Produced and narrated by DiCaprio, the movie is to open in Salt Lake City at the end of this month.
Tainter, professor and head of the Logan university's Department of Environment and Society, is the author of the book, "The Collapse of Complex Societies," published in 1990 by Cambridge University Press. His interviews appear in three parts of the film.
The movie isn't only about global warming; that subject occupies about seven minutes of the film's 90. The rest is about human well-being and the way it depends on all sorts of environmental factors, from acid rain to air pollution, from chemicals flowing into the oceans to the disappearance of forests.
As an anthropologist and archaeologist, Tainter has been interested in discovering why former civilizations have collapsed.
The world could be heading toward a situation where "we need more energy to solve our problems and yet we're not able to obtain it," Tainter said in a telephone interview.
Carbon fuels are finite, and their growing scarcity is shown by factors such as the skyrocketing price of gas. "Oil companies are having a hard time producing more; oil exporting nations are having a hard time producing more," he said.
Planners will need to take a serious look at renewable energy sources, he added. Most forms of renewables are based directly or indirectly on the sun: solar energy, wind energy, tidal energy.
That's not to say developing other sources of power will be a panacea. New sources "will have environmental consequences that we need to talk about as a society."
What sort of consequences could be associated with developing wind energy, for example?
"Simply having to take large areas of land and convert them over to wind energy production" could pose an aesthetics problem for some people. Also, "a lot of new transmission lines will need to be put into place.
"But at the same time, something like wind energy gives us a lot of opportunities." For examples, farmers in the windy high plains could instal wind-power generators amid more traditional crops. "There are always trade-offs," he said.
Investors and utilities are starting to see that wind farms could be a good idea, Tainter added.
What's his take on nuclear energy?
Tainter said he is among those who have not given up on nuclear power. "We pretty much dropped nuclear as a serious option after the Three Mile Island incident, and I believe that was a mistake."
Recent comments
nuclear is the only REAL clean energy option in our near future. the...
adsfds | Oct. 9, 2007 at 3:44 p.m.
I think both the guy talking about wind, solar and geothermal and the...
Anonymous | Aug. 21, 2007 at 3:19 p.m.
To quote the Geico caveman..."WHAT??????????"
SouthernBeach | Aug. 21, 2007 at 12:13 p.m.
- Attempted murder case refiled 1:58 a.m.
- Sports on the air 1:38 a.m.
- This weekend on TV 1:38 a.m.
- Birthdays for Saturday, July 11 1:38 a.m.
- 2 men cited on LDS plaza 1:37 a.m.
- S.L. man spots stolen car — his 1:23 a.m.
- Girl critical after run-in with train 1:23 a.m.
- Probe of death treated as slaying 1:22 a.m.
- Taylorsville man arrested in robbery 1:21 a.m.
- HBO defends U. logo use in 'Love' 1:20 a.m.
- Jazz brass debate Millsap match
- LDS seminary principal arrested
- 2 men cited on LDS plaza
- HBO defends U. logo use in 'Love'
- Reactions on Boozer speculation
- Jazz finances not quite so bleak
- Teacher faces new sex charges
- Cash for Clunkers to get rolling soon
- S.L. man spots stolen car — his
- Utahns among Texans' investors
- LDS seminary principal arrested
160 - Bronco collecting a galaxy of recruits
141 - Jazz talking Boozer trade?
136 - Blazers may offer Millsap a contract
123 - Jazz brass debate Millsap match
99 - Stadium of Fire flag burning was fake
94 - Fairness of BCS debated
81 - Chaffetz eyes challenging Bennett
74 - Letters: Single-payer system best
72 - Services bids farewell to Jackson
70
As more and more dads are put out of work in this economy, I've been...
The photographs are mysterious, brooding, dark. They show dimples and...
I love Millsap, and the Jazz will find a way to move Boozer and match for...
i think its childish to assume that somebody would actually want to get...
Millsap and Boozer need to stay in Utah. Millsap is Boozers backup while he...
Childish and immature? Its always easier being ignorant and presuming things...
can you use words like testimony and church leadership to critisize a...
Bro P really helped me through a tough time in my life when I had him in...
These are only allegations at present, but I hope when he goes to trial, the...
My thoughts are with the Pratt family right now. Michael I hope you are...
It is interesting that everyone who seems to be a member comments on how nice...
You presume, simply because they were gay, that they were trying to "stir...


