{"id":13141,"title":"Read: Range Anxiety","description":"There are two types of resources in the World. The finite, and the renewable. And recently in the UK, perhaps made worse by some fairly dumb politics, we\u2019ve had a little taster of what happens when finite resources like petrol run out. Alternative futures are available, and we\u2019d like to talk about what that might look like.","content":"

There are two types of resources in the World. The finite, and the renewable. And recently in the UK, perhaps made worse by some fairly dumb politics, we\u2019ve had a little taster of what happens when finite resources like petrol run out. Alternative futures are available, and we\u2019d like to talk about what that might look like.<\/p>

To have a serious conversation about the solution we first need a consensus on the problem. It can be stated simply. Our entire economy and nearly everything in our modern society is dependent on finite resources. No matter how sophisticated a system we\u2019ve built, if the machinery of our lives is built on fossil fuels when they run out, it will break down.<\/p>

\"\"
That will happen. Fossil fuels will run out by the end of this century. Yet our society and economy race ahead as if there is an endless supply of these resources. It's as insane as insisting \"there is no fuel shortage\" to a person forced to walk home carrying a Jerry can. Denial is not a strategy because truth catches up eventually. People deserve better.<\/p>

Except this issue is bigger. It's not like the last few weeks with the forecourt fist-fights or the Brexit induced shortage-of-everything. It is everything everywhere: A civilisation built unsustainably is one heading for a civilisation-sized cliff edge.\u00a0<\/p>

We were all born into this fossil-fuelled system designed around linear consumption and waste. It's hard to even realise - or even imagine - a different future is possible. Or even a different present: That is to say, to accept that where we are now was a choice that was made, not an inevitability. We can\u2019t really ask around the founders because everyone who set things up this way is dead.\u00a0<\/p>

\"The use of alternative energy is inevitable as fossil fuels are finite. Why not just do it now?\"<\/p><\/blockquote>

But consider the simple fact that the first ever combustion engine, courtesy of Otto Diesel, was actually run on peanut oil. Natural, renewable and carbon neutral. Or the fact that electric cars were invented before petrol ones. To go from there to where we are was a choice. We can\u2019t change that, but we can make new decisions based on what we now know. There\u2019s nobody who is going to tell us off for deciding to want electric cars after all. It\u2019s not illegal to believe in a renewable energy future, and to do something about that.\u00a0

\"\"
Throughout our supply chain renewable energy is used so we can power our factories and manufacturing operations from the sun and the wind.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>

Some societies have already. In Norway recently, the amount of wind and hydro in a windy and rainy September meant that the cost of electricity was so low, charging a Tesla (Range, 300 miles+ and improving) cost less than \u00a31. Meanwhile in blue passport land, no amount of money can buy fuel that isn\u2019t there to be bought. Wasn\u2019t the range anxiety stuff meant to work the other way round? It seems a lot like electric car drivers charging on renewables have no worries and lots of range, and everyone else is worried if they'll make it home.\u00a0<\/p>

Perhaps the solution is as straightforward as the issue. A system built on renewables which are sustainable can by definition be sustained. And if we are going to run out of fossil fuels - which we will - we will need to change where the energy that our civilisation depends on anyway, there\u2019s only one choice to make: Not if, but when.\u00a0<\/p>

But climate change has the answer. Burning fossil fuels has changed our climate to the point where almost everyone knows this is a threat to life on Earth itself.\u00a0 There's only one answer to 'when' - it is Now.\u00a0

Now means now. We use renewable energy to power our production, webservers and offices and through careful selection of organic materials and meaningful reforestation, Rapanui is carbon neutral. Is it really that radical to expect that from every company, everywhere?\u00a0<\/p>","urlTitle":"read-range-anxiety","url":"\/blog\/read-range-anxiety\/","editListUrl":"\/my-blogs","editUrl":"\/my-blogs\/edit\/read-range-anxiety\/","fullUrl":"https:\/\/rapanuiclothing.com\/blog\/read-range-anxiety\/","featured":false,"published":true,"showOnSitemap":true,"hidden":false,"visibility":null,"createdAt":1633524231,"updatedAt":1676902658,"publishedAt":1649251673,"lastReadAt":null,"division":{"id":14,"name":"Rapanui"},"tags":[],"metaImage":{"original":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/zdm4qgn8x5bkhuwn5vjeiklcepnyinone6dtnuspycwgv3so.png","thumbnail":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/zdm4qgn8x5bkhuwn5vjeiklcepnyinone6dtnuspycwgv3so.png.jpg?w=1140&h=855","banner":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/zdm4qgn8x5bkhuwn5vjeiklcepnyinone6dtnuspycwgv3so.png.jpg?w=1920&h=1440"},"metaTitle":"Read: Range Anxiety","metaDescription":"Alternatives to using finite resources are available, and we\u2019d like to talk about what that might look like.","keyPhraseCampaignId":null,"series":[],"similarReads":[{"id":33186,"title":"Rapanui x OPY: Merche Llobera","url":"\/blog\/rapanui-x-opy-merche-llobera\/","urlTitle":"rapanui-x-opy-merche-llobera","division":14,"description":"We speak to Merche Llobera, one of our featured photographers in the Rapanui x Ocean Photographer of the Year collaboration. We hear the story behind her image and the process of turning it into an illustration.","published":true,"metaImage":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/u0wxstdne7htsjktknku6hpqweajl6n97todm3jdixj619ii.jpeg.jpg?w=1140&h=855","banner":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/u0wxstdne7htsjktknku6hpqweajl6n97todm3jdixj619ii.jpeg.jpg?w=1920&h=1440"},"hidden":0},{"id":32989,"title":"Rapanui x OPY: Tim Burgess.","url":"\/blog\/rapanui-x-opy-tim-burgess\/","urlTitle":"rapanui-x-opy-tim-burgess","division":14,"description":"We\u2019ve collaborated with OPY to connect two distinct artforms, photography and illustration, all while raising money for the ocean. We spoke to both the photographer and the design team to find out about the story behind the image and the process of turning it into an illustration to be worn.","published":true,"metaImage":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/nhbrekdcfjebrvwecocrwqsun1wkaln3td7ogz48urm7budf.jpeg.jpg?w=1140&h=855","banner":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/nhbrekdcfjebrvwecocrwqsun1wkaln3td7ogz48urm7budf.jpeg.jpg?w=1920&h=1440"},"hidden":0},{"id":17916,"title":"Through Water, the Wavelength of the World","url":"\/blog\/through-water-the-wavelength-of-the-world\/","urlTitle":"through-water-the-wavelength-of-the-world","division":14,"description":"We meet up with Rob and Katie as they prepare for a wild mission to relay-swim the Channel. The more we talk, the more we realise they had a story to share that goes deeper than a swimming challenge. It\u2019s a story about how through water, we can have experiences that are transformational. Sometimes in little ways, day to day. In other ways, it can change lives. To tell it, we need to take you to the Sea.","published":true,"metaImage":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/lls3fiu6gmugjf4rx20cg1kq2ikfpwjionnsfbxn4267c1hb.jpeg.jpg?w=1140&h=855","banner":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/lls3fiu6gmugjf4rx20cg1kq2ikfpwjionnsfbxn4267c1hb.jpeg.jpg?w=1920&h=1440"},"hidden":0}],"labels":{"monitorCheckExcluded":"1"}}