[Devil]

My website at www.cypenv.org has been heavily revised with major updating of most of the old essays and a number of new ones. Although it is entitled Cyprus: the Environment, it is also deeply into most energy issues. Obviously, some of the problems on this small island are very different from those of many other places, but there is also a lot of commonality. It will also give you a more complete insight into my thought processes and may explain why I don't always agree with what is posted on this forum. If you wish, I have started a forum related to this website.

[aldente]

Great web site. I didn't know you're living on Cyprus (I know it says so, looking at your icon, but it simply never ocurred to me). I was further positively surprised that you are born in 1932 (Bio), since a lot of members seem rather yourng in this forum. Reading your posts over the last months I would have guessed that you are in your 30's (where I am). One aspect of getting lolder I guess is to realize that the mind never gets older, just the body.

[lorenzo]

That's a very informative website. I'll keep your essays in mind when I visit Cyprus again.
Keep up the good work!

[EnviroEngr]

Thanks for the update Devil.
Does EHS-Net know about this?

[bart]

Great site, Devil. I wish there were hundreds more like it, covering different parts of the world.

Your point-of-view does not seem at all out of place on the PeakOil.com site. You seem to place yourself in the "Gradual Decline" school, as opposed to the "Catastrophists." I wish there were more of us gradualists on PO! If one anticipates a gradual decline, there are any number of things that one can do. Whereas the prospect of an impending catastrophe leads to futile discussions about firepower and storing 5 years worth of beans.

Because of your technical background, the emphasis of your site seems to be on technological processes. I'm curious about the traditional way of life by which the population was able to survive on Cyprus for thousands of years before fossil fuels. I wonder if the traditional ways would provide any ideas for a post-PO future on Cyprus.

[Devil]

Bart

You may be giving me an idea for another essay! Have to think it over! One thing does come to mind, though. As you may or may not know, the name Cyprus and the Greek word for copper are the same, but we don't know which word came first and which was named after the other. This was because this small island was the world's main source of copper during the whole of the Bronze age. The copper ore was drift-mined and reduced to the metal with charcoal, then cast into flat ingots, before being sent abroad. At that time, the island was largely forested, so the supply of charcoal was easy. Archeologists have estimated the amount of copper produced by the size of the mine workings (many of them still exist!) and the waste heaps and they have calculated that, from 2000 BC to 800 BC, the amount of charcoal used must represent the wood growing over the whole surface (>9,000 km²) of the island TWELVE times! In other words, trees were felled in one spot, on an average, every 100 years. In reality, I suppose, as they were mainly hardwood at that time, those nearest the smelters were cut down every 20 or 30 years, to reduce the transport. But this is, I guess, an example of industry using renewable energy!

Of course, the island was subsequently denuded in the Middle Ages by the combined demand for wood for shipbuilding and goats. Today, about ¼ is forested, mainly by planted pines.

[Taskforce_Unity]

Great site Devil, this youngster really respects your posts on technology. Keep up the good work

[Devil]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Taskforce_Unity', 'G')reat site Devil, this youngster really respects your posts on technology. Keep up the good work