November 28, 2017: Feminist Energy Futures

Just futures. Today, I spent the day interviewing members of the Feminist Energy Futures: Powershift and Environmental Social Justice team. When I asked them about what they think the future will be like, it seems we share varying degrees of optimism…

Read more

November 27, 2017: Future Imaginings

Where to go from here? I’ve noticed recently and interesting impulse many people have when I ask them about the future. They don’t tell me what they’d like it to look like. They try to guess what it will look…

Read more

November 26, 2017: Turning to Solar in a Time of Crisis

Last week, I played The Newtonian Shift. It is a game that simulates 25 years of energy transition as part of a 6 hour simulation game. In the energy transition, which plays out differently each time, depending on who is…

Read more

November 25, 2017: The Cult of Presentism

This week, I’ve been reflecting on another of the ironies of the current moment. I’ve been spending a lot of time thinking about what the future could look like, if we organize now for other types of social life in…

Read more

November 24, 2017: Wind “Power” & Other Technologies

If I understood correctly, it seems that wind won’t play as major a role in Alberta’s energy future as it might elsewhere. Apparently, unless your trees are growing crooked from the consistent winds in your area, wind is probably not…

Read more

November 23, 2017: Future of Energy in Alberta

Wind, Solar, Geothermal, Biofuels: These are most likely the future of energy in Alberta. It is where most of the institutions seem to be investing in research and development. Elsewhere they will invest in water — which isn’t appropriate to…

Read more

November 22, 2017: Tech for Whom?

So much amazing tech already exists out there. Energy transition is possible. But tech cannot save us if we don’t implement it. Who has energy has power. Who owns the tech? Who can afford to purchase the tech and or…

Read more

November 21, 2017: Refining Perspectives

Refining: oh so many things My commute to work, each morning and evening, takes me past Refinery Row. In the winter months, the cold air makes visible the heat and material waste expelled into the atmosphere during the process of…

Read more

November 20, 2017: Reporting (for) Action

Today, the radio and news reports are full of incongruities. In the headlines are the following stories: Edward Stuzik’s new book Firestorm: How Wildfire will Shape our Future apparently does link the Fort McMurray fires of 2016 to climate change and…

Read more

November 19, 2017: Keystone Pipeline

I come out of a flu-induced hiatus from regular news only to discover that TransCanada’s existing Keystone pipeline in South Dakota is leaking into a farmer’s field. This is all happening simultaneous to the decision about whether the Keystone XL…

Read more

November 18, 2017: Luxury

A blazing fire. Steaming chicken soup, hot off the range. Energy intensive luxuries, for a weary body suffering feverish chills. (Image: Fireplace)

Read more

November 17, 2017: Dreaming Crises

In a feverish sleep, I dreamt that I kept trying to tell people something and no words would come out. I kept mouthing the words, where there was no sound. This inability to talk was also linked to some form…

Read more