Arithmetic, Population and Energy

Synopsis: Video recording of a 60-minute talk by Professor Albert Bartlett based on his paper, "Forgotten Fundamentals of the Energy Crisis," originally published in the American Journal of Physics, and revised in the Journal of Geological Education. Professor Bartlett begins with the statement, "The greatest shortcoming of the human race is our inability to understand the exponential function." He then gives a basic introduction to the arithmetic of steady growth, including an explanation of the concept of doubling time. He explains the impact of unending steady growth on the population of Boulder, of Colorado, and of the world. He then examines the consequences of steady growth in a finite environment and observes this growth as applied to fossil fuel consumption, the lifetimes of which are much shorter than the optimistic figures most often quoted.

He proceeds to examine oddly reassuring statements from "experts", the media and political leaders and discusses the widespread worship of economic growth and population growth in western society. He explains "sustainability" in the context of the First Law of Sustainability: "You cannot sustain population growth and/or growth in the rates of consumption of resources." The talk brings the listener to understand and appreciate the implications of unending growth on a finite planet, and closes noting the crucial need for education on the topic.
Language: English
Country: United States
Subjects: Energy; Environmental science
Keywords: applied mathematics; energy sources; exponential functions; population dynamics; sustainability