The Oil Drum: Local

This is a guest post by Patrick Déry and Bart Anderson. Patrick Déry is a physicist, energy, agriculture and environment analyst and consultant in Quebec, Canada. Bart Anderson is a former reporter, teacher and technical writer; he currently is co-editor of Energy Bulletin.

Peak oil has made us aware that many of the resources on which civilization depends are limited.

M. King Hubbert, a geophysicist for Shell Oil, found that oil production over time followed a curve that was roughly bell-shaped. He correctly predicted that oil production in the lower 48 states would peak in 1970. Other analysts following Hubbert's methods are predicting a peak in oil production early this century.

The depletion analysis pioneered by Hubbert can be applied to other non-renewable resources. Analysts have looked at peak production for resouces such as natural gas, coal and uranium.

In this paper, Patrick Déry applies Hubbert's methods to a very special non-renewable resource - phosphorus - a nutrient essential for agriculture.

Up until recently the collection of used cooking oil and its refinement into biodiesel was limited to a few quirky folks that retrofitted their cars and trucks for that purpose. But now, used cooking oil is becoming a hot commodity for prospective biodiesel refiners and distributors looking to and create environmentally friendly businesses. As this biofuel is not primarily produced for energy purposes, but is rather a repurposing of something that might have gone to waste, there are little worries about Energy Return On Energy Invested.

It seems the city council is close to approving the final waste management plan for NYC. Within the NY Times article, there is an interesting idea of carving out waste reduction and recycling from the Department of Sanitation.

In the past, the sanitation department has been a reluctant steward of the program, arguing so effectively against it that in 2002 the mayor suspended the pickup of glass jars and bottles, and the following year reduced recycling collection to a bimonthly schedule.

The full recycling program was restored in 2004, but sanitation officials still grumbled that it costs far more to have a crew picking up recyclables than to simply haul everything to a landfill.

Just pathetic! I knew the Sanitation Department was narrowmindedly focused on moving trash, but I did not realize that they would actively work against programs that might actually REDUCE the amount they had to collect! This is where a new independent office would exactly help.

As seen in Gothamist, the NYC Department of Sanitation provides some handy NYCWasteLe$$ Holiday Tips:

• Give homemade gifts, such as cookies, handcrafts, or framed photos.
  
• Give entertainment, such as museum memberships; tickets to movies, theater, concerts, or sporting events; gift certificates to a favorite restaurant.
  
• Give learning, such as language or music lessons; classes in cooking, photography, or other favorite hobbies.
  
• Give your time or talent: personalized coupons that offer free services, such as baby-sitting, pet-sitting, computer help, or home repairs.
  
• Give fitness, such as gym memberships, personal training sessions, or classes in yoga, pilates, or dance.
  
• Give pampering, such as a massage, facial, manicure, or pedicure.
  
• Give to the greater good by making a contribution to someone's favorite charity.

Well, the holidays are pretty much over, but there's always someone's birthday or anniversary or communion or bar mitzvah or whatnot. My Secret Santa this year got me a gift certificate to Whole Foods—indulgent, yes, but everyone's gotta eat, and the gift won't create any extra waste!

Also, don't forget that NYC will be collecting Christmas trees for their annual MulchFest.