RICHARD HEINBERG is the award-winning author of ten previous books including THE PARTY'S OVER, POWERDOWN, and THE END OF GROWTH. A Senior Fellow at Post Carbon Institute, he is one of the world's foremost energy educators and communicators about the urgent need to transition away from fossil fuels. He is a recipient of the M. King Hubbert award for excellence in energy education and since 2002 has given over five hundred lectures on fossil fuel depletion to audiences around the world. He has been published in 'Nature, ' the world's premiere scientific journal; he has been quoted in 'Time' magazine and other major publications; and he has been interviewed on national radio and television in seven countries.
"In Snake Oil, Richard Heinberg reveals two key themes everyone
should understand: The promise of shale oil and gas abundance is
exaggerated and misleading, and the cost of producing the shale oil
supply has reached a level that is inconsistent with economic
growth."--Arthur Berman, consulting geologist and Director of
Labyrinth Consulting Services, Inc.
"It always sounded too good to be true . . . Richard Heinberg
authoritatively explains the fine print beneath the hype--sure
enough, fracking is the 21st-century version of snake oil. The real
deal is energy efficiency along with solar and wind power. It's
time for a sober and honest debate about our energy future. That's
why Snake Oil is essential reading."--David W. Orr, Paul Sears
Distinguished Professor of Environmental Studies and Politics at
Oberlin College, author of Down to the Wire
"Many long-time observers of the world energy scene have been
wondering whether claims being made for US shale gas and tight oil
are "too good to be true." Here is hard evidence that they are
indeed. America will achieve real, long-term energy independence
and security only by doing two things: reducing energy demand and
developing distributed renewable energy sources."--Michael Klare,
Director of Five College Program in Peace and World Security
Studies at Hampshire College, author of The Race for What's
Left
"Snake Oil exposes the unsustainable economics behind the so-called
fracking boom, giving the lie to industry claims that natural gas
will bring great economic benefits and long-term energy security to
the United States. In clear, hard-hitting language, Heinberg
reveals that communities where fracking has taken place are
actually being hurt economically. For those who want to know the
truth about why natural gas is a gangplank, not a bridge, Snake Oil
is a must-read."--Michael Brune, Executive Director of the Sierra
Club and author of Coming Clean
"The shale "revolution" might be over sooner than you think. Snake
Oil does what the mainstream media have failed to do: ask the tough
questions--particularly about the economics--and closely examine
the real potential of fracking for oil and gas. This book is an
important counterpoint to what has been little more than
regurgitated industry press releases thus far and is an essential
read for investors and policy makers."--Chris Nelder, energy
analyst and author of Profit from the Peak
"Those who think fracked gas is a panacea for our energy future
would do well to read this cautionary account it has an undeniable
whiff of reality about it."--Bill McKibben, founder of 350.org and
author of Oil and Honey: The Education of an Unlikely Activist"
"Unconventional production from shales has been hyped mercilessly
by the oil and gas industry. Richard Heinberg does an outstanding
job of purging the myths and bringing sensibility to a dialogue
which, unfortunately, has been driven by a brand of thinking on the
part of energy producers that closely mimics the mentality of Wall
Street."--Deborah Rogers, founder of Energy Policy Forum, former
Wall Street financial analyst
"We are already living with the false promise that fracking would
not harm the environment. Now read the facts about the false
promise that it will provide an energy-secure future and lots of
jobs. Snake Oil debunks all the myths. It is a must-read for our
elected leaders."--Maude Barlow, Board Chair of Food & Water Watch
and author of Blue Covenant
"When some things are too hard or painful to understand, it takes a
heroic effort to even try to get a message across. Richard Heinberg
is a beacon of light cutting through the fog of wishful thinking to
illuminate the critical issues by which the human project may stand
or fall: energy and economy."--James Howard Kunstler, author of Too
Much Magic and The Long Emergency
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