Energy and equity

Book · Tue Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1974

OSTI ID:7269671

Illich, I

Discussions of a seminar on traffic, which met at the Center for Intercultural Documentation in Cuernavaca, Mexico, are summarized in this book. Future social relationships of society will depend on the energy policies now being selected. In facing the reality of finite energy, it is important to cut through the language of crisis in order to understand that social relations as well as the physical environment are destroyed by high consumption of energy. In addition to the government policy options of tight controls or thermodynamic efficiency, there is the option of setting a ceiling on energy use. A slower speed of development and a low energy technology can be the choice. Traffic (the movement of people) illustrates the nature of energy equity--on foot people are nearly equal, but as speed and complexity increases, social relationships become less equal, with the individual becoming dependent on the transportation system to dictate his social space. Inequities in speed of motors allows the rich and powerful to exploit the poor. The bicycle illustrates the balance of production and equipment needed for an effective post-industrial society. (102 references) (DCK)

• OSTI ID: 7269671
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY
290200* -- Energy Planning & Policy-- Economics & Sociology
294000 -- Energy Planning & Policy-- Fossil Fuels
298000 -- Energy Planning & Policy-- Consumption & Utilization
530100 -- Environmental-Social Aspects of Energy Technologies-- Social & Economic Studies-- (-1989)
ECONOMICS
EFFICIENCY
ENERGY CONSERVATION
ENERGY CONSUMPTION
ENERGY POLICY
ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS
GOVERNMENT POLICIES
SOCIO-ECONOMIC FACTORS
SOCIOLOGY
TRANSPORTATION SYSTEMS
VEHICLES