Last night at the Vancouver Museum, David Suzuki introduced Dr. Göran Carstedt, a Swedish executive (IKEA, Volvo) who spoke on “Harnessing Human Energy for Climate Change.”
My favourite anecdote was a description of a conversation with a high Chinese official, who, after remarking on the success of the West as a civilization, made three astute observations.
“Your food supply is based on transportation, no?”
Indeed.
“And your transportation system is based on oil.”
Yes.
“But you don’t have the oil.”
[The talk was sponsored by, among others, the Pacific Institute for Climate Solutions, a BC-based inter-university initiative. PICS just released a white paper authored by the Adaptation to Climate Change Team based at SFU – “Climate Change Adaptation: Planning for BC” .]
… and the most luxurious items – wines, cheeses, truffles, chocolates, olive oils, etc. all come from overseas.
Isn’t that why the US went to Iraq? Isn’t that a major reason to go and to stay in Afganistan? And don’t we have the tar sands (though no real refining capabilities)? Some call the first two conspiracy theories and I’ll leave that discussion to another time. Besides, the point is well taken that we do need more local food production (please no more developing in the ALR) and to redefine our personal tastes to seasonal produce.
Huh? The West has no oil?
Also, how does China distribute its food? By magical unicorns?
Not surprising that this would come from some Suzikian self-serving scare-mongering prima-donna.