Turning The Tide: Running Out Of Steam

Dubbed "Britain's Robin Hood of Environmentalism," botanist David Bellamy hosts this informative series on environmental issues with equal parts of humor and common sense. Running Out of Steam, the second episode in the seven tape series, examines the global energy crisis which we will be passing on to our descendants if we don't act now to "turn the tide." At our present rate of consumption, Bellamy estimates, the world will deplete its supply of fossil fuels within 650 years. If the annual consumption rate were to increase just 5% each year, that far off date would be much closer--a mere 20 years. Bellamy questions the use of nuclear power and queries why we don't invest time and money into the exploration of renewable energy sources--water, wind, and solar energy--for use on a large scale. He points the finger (quite literally, in the direction of the House of Parliament) at politics and big business, and reiterates that unless we plan now for the future, there may not be one. This is a superb program which is, unfortunately, priced out of most public libraries' range, but would be an excellent choice for junior and senior high schools as well as (if you'll excuse the oxymoron) well-funded public libraries. (See THE PRICE OF PROGRESS for availability.)