Post Carbon's talking points

http://www.postcarbon.org/informed/talkingpoints

Energy

* Energy is the lifeblood of the economy; GNP scales with energy consumption
* Without energy nothing moves

Oil Peak
* Discovery peaked in 1964
* Each year since 1981, we have consumed than we have discovered.
* There is a growing gap between consumption and discovery. This cannot continue forever
* Global extraction appears to be reaching its limits, after which it will go into inexorable decline
* Most oil is extracted from a relatively small number of giant fields which have operated for decades
* Energy demand is predicted to far outstrip extraction even without peak

Growth
* The economic and monetary systems of the United States and many other countries require growth on average of about 2-4% per annum
* Money is generally loaned into existence and is not backed by anything other than faith
* Growth must occur so that money can be created to pay off the interest on previous loans
* Endless growth on a finite planet is impossible