As heat waves and floods assault us, humans are in the midst of a great societal energy transition. We must find ways to decarbonize. The question is no longer if, but rather how, to build the clean energy system we need. The coming changes are so broad that they can be hard to comprehend. It is helpful to narrow the discussion. In this series of podcasts, we study the big question of "how" to build a new future thru the lens of a specific issue: the production and use of lithium. Listen in as we dip our toes into the oceans of questions about how to build a just energy transition.
Batteries are essential to practical renewable energy systems, as well as the electric vehicles so central to our thinking about the economy. The atomic element lithium is essential to the manufacture of batteries. As demand for lithium skyrockets in the wake of increased EV production, we must ask "where is that lithium coming from?" Raw lithium is most often found near marginalized communities, be it the Atacama Desert in South America or near indigenous lands in Nevada. The current methods of mining lithium are extremely damaging to land and communities that surround the resource. The moral question is this: does the supposed benefit of 'an EV in every garage" outweigh the clear damage done by lithium mining? Are sacrifice zones acceptable so that we can drive EVs? Or should we phrase the question more gently and ask how we can build a green future and preserve local communities.
In this series of podcasts we will talk to several experts:
- Professor Thea Riofrancos of Providence College tells us about the 'critical junction' at which our society stands. Our decision now will determine the future.
- Benjamin Hitchcock Auciello of Earthworks discusses the nature of lithium mining and the opportunities for recycling.
- Author Max Wilbert, currently encamped at Thacker Pass, asks if an EV is a right or a privilege.
- Professor Barry Gan of Saint Bonaventure University helps us understand how Gandhi's ideas on non-violence can help us manage the 'ends vs means' questions.
The reading list:
- CJA defines a just transition- living well but not at other's expense
- Raworth's donut economics
- NYT wonders how green your EV is
- Riofrancos discusses lithium mining in the big picture
- Dave Roberts discusses Li battery technology
- Biden orders supply chain review
- Info on Thacker Pass
- Max Wilberts' book Bright Green Lies
- Earthworks on 1872 mining law
- Earthworks on Just Materials
- Earthworks on recycling
- Gandhi's idea that ends and means are identical
Because we recognize the necessity of personal accountability for our actions, because we accept responsibility for a building a durable future and because we believe it is our patriotic duty as citizens to speak out, we must insist the United States transform it’s energy sector, over the next decade, under a just and equitable plan, that uses regulations, investments and a price on carbon to safeguard our collective future.
Thanks for listening.
…Ted McIntyre
Here is a full bibliography
Overview
https://www.wired.co.uk/article/lithium-batteries-environment-impact
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/03/02/climate/electric-vehicles-environment.html
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/the-delusion-of-infinite-economic-growth1/
https://commonwealthmagazine.org/transportation/less-driving-better-lives
https://amp.economist.com/briefing/2021/06/12/the-bottlenecks-which-could-constrain-emission-cuts?
Vision of EJ
https://climatejusticealliance.org/just-transition/
https://climatejusticealliance.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/CJA_JustTransition_highres.pdf
https://www.dissentmagazine.org/article/what-comes-after-extractivism
https://news.climate.columbia.edu/2021/06/09/stop-calling-green-energy-clean/
Recycling (IRMA)
https://www.wired.com/story/the-race-to-crack-battery-recycling-before-its-too-late/
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/07/14/technology/personaltech/right-to-repair-iphones-android.html
https://www.everledger.io/blockchain-battery-recycling-on-track-for-a-circular-economy/
https://grist.org/technology/the-plan-to-turn-coal-country-into-a-rare-earth-powerhouse/
https://www.earthworks.org/publications/recycle-dont-mine/
https://www.vice.com/en/article/4av7pd/biden-wants-to-give-us-the-right-to-repair-now-what
Mining
https://www.ecowatch.com/electrical-cars-seafloor-mining-2651006649.html
https://www.earthworks.org/publications/just-minerals/
https://www.earthworks.org/publications/recharge-responsibly/
https://finfeed.com/features/explainer-overview-direct-lithium-extraction-dle-geothermal-brines/
https://www.thinkgeoenergy.com/geothermal-lithium-its-extraction-and-impact-on-clean-energy/?amp=1
https://www.autoblog.com/2021/05/01/germany-lithium-river-mining/
https://finance.yahoo.com/video/lithium-americas-ceo-outlook-u-204802479.html
https://physicstoday.scitation.org/doi/10.1063/PT.3.4745
https://www.greencarcongress.com/2020/07/20200731-jadar.html
https://www.marketviews.com/latam/now-is-a-great-time-to-invest-in-latin-american-mining
https://www.earthisland.org/journal/index.php/magazine/entry/the-rush-for-white-gold
https://euobserver.com/opinion/151965
Local protests
https://fingfx.thomsonreuters.com/gfx/rngs/CHILE-LITHIUM/010080VB1MH/index.html
https://grist.org/climate/the-west-has-a-new-front-in-the-war-over-electric-cars/
https://www.protectthackerpass.org/contact-us/
https://www.nevadacurrent.com/blog/judge-gives-feds-30-days-to-decide-if-wildflower-is-endangered/
https://www.goodmorningamerica.com/living/video/lithium-affecting-environment-77210144
https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20210510-perus-urgent-search-for-slow-water
https://commonwealthmagazine.org/opinion/solar-gone-wrong
Lithium physics
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lithium_battery
Battery applications
https://www.volts.wtf/p/battery-week-everything-in-one-place
Long duration
https://www.dropbox.com/s/j1hnf81s9sxyu5l/LDES%20Article%20Synthesis.pdf?dl=0
https://www.canarymedia.com/articles/long-duration-storage-roundup-news-players-and-technology/
Politics/EV/Supply chain
https://news.mit.edu/2021/lithium-ion-battery-costs-0323
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/03/31/business/biden-electric-vehicles-infrastructure.html
https://www.iea.org/reports/global-energy-review-2021
https://ourworldindata.org/battery-price-decline
Articles on gandhian environmentalism
https://www.nonviolent-conflict.org/staff/barry-gan/
https://www.mkgandhi.org/g_relevance/chap28.htm
https://reallifemag.com/appropriate-measures/
https://www.labor4sustainability.org/jtlp-2021
https://mettacenter.org/daily-metta/means-ends-daily-metta/
https://southasiamonitor.org/spotlight/understanding-mahatma-gandhis-philosophy-ends-and-means