Synopsis
You are part of the grand transition that is taking place in energy, but you are probably wondering what it all means for you. Human society has committed to getting off fossil fuels because they are warming our planet, and this shift will engage everyone. Why? Because everyone uses energy. Today you have choices in energy that you never had before, and your choices will affect many generations to come. This book will bring you up to speed on your many options in energy, all explained in terms that anyone can understand.
The award-winning book Power Shift: From Fossil Energy to Dynamic Solar Power retells human history through the lens of energy, explains the science behind the crisis--in clear, succinct language that anyone can understand--and provides a detailed blueprint for the future, from governmental, commercial, and individual perspectives. The book has been recognized as a Finalist in the 2016 Foreword Reviews' INDIEFAB Book of the Year Awards, and has received the Gold Medal in the Global Ebook Awards.
Today, we've become mired in partisan bickering among politicians and oil, gas, and coal lobbying interests who insist that fossil fuels are necessary for jobs and the US economy. However, this narrow debate has failed to notice that the world has already embarked on a transformation in how we use energy that is so fundamental, it defines a new Solar Epoch, as monumental as the discovery of fire, the development of agriculture, and the exploitation of fossil fuels in previous centuries.
The truth is that solar power--getting radically cheaper by the year--is not only a viable solution but, as the author states, "forms a clean energy system that can completely replace fossil fuels. We can gradually phase them in so that in 50 years we'll be 100% solar-powered. And because solar energy does not run out like fossil fuels, we will never need to go looking for another energy source again."
The book also explores the related crises of out-of-control CO2 emissions from fossil fuel burning: glacial melting; flooding; drought; ocean acidification that threatens mass extinction of marine life; and the often overlooked costs of rising food prices and military conflicts over oil and other fossil fuels.
Unlike other books on global warming and solar energy, Power Shift presents visionary plans for governments, corporations, and individuals concerned about climate change. And the author has "put his money where his mouth is." Having built a solar home in Santa Cruz County in 1997 and outfitted it with an off-grid solar photovoltaic (PV) system, Stayton cites numerous personal examples to inspire others to take similar action.
Destined to become a classic in the field, and soon to be adopted as a basic text in college and university environmental studies programs, Power Shift is an indispensable reference for researchers and global leaders, a valuable staff training tool for solar companies, and a compelling, inspirational read for anyone eager to learn the truth about global warming and to participate "from the ground up" in the new Solar Epoch.
Reader-friendly with beautiful illustrations and firmly grounded in current science, Power Shift also forges a cautionary tale of what lies ahead if we don't start acting now: "We seem to be waiting for a sign," Stayton writes, "a sudden event so catastrophic that it compels us to overcome political differences and take action. However, this disaster does not rush upon us like a hurricane, but instead slowly erodes our foundation, like termites. If we wait until the house collapses, we will have waited too long."
If you buy only one book on the topic of climate change or solar power--for yourself, family, friends, or colleagues--you can depend on Power Shift to serve as a comprehensive, eye-opening, educational resource for years to come.
About the Author
Holding a masters degree in physics and a Gradudate Certificate in Science Communication, Robert Arthur Stayton is uniquely positioned to explain science to the general public. He discovered solar energy in 1976 and has made teaching and promoting it his lifework. He has taught courses in physics, energy, and solar energy at the University of California Santa Cruz and Cabrillo College.
His white paper Prospects for the Use of Solar Energy in California prepared for the California State Assembly Office of Research, was a key factor in the passage of AB1558, which established the most advanced solar tax credit in the U.S. One California state department head wrote to David Saxon, President of the University of California at the time, praising the report: "For a scientist to be able to communicate in language a lay person can understand is a rare quality. Mr. Stayton demonstrates this gift in this very fine publication."
Stayton co-founded Energy Action, a research group that received a grant from the California Energy Commission. He also co-founded Energy Future Santa Cruz, a nonprofit organization that received funding from the National Science Foundation to develop an energy plan for Santa Cruz County using input from government agencies, community organizations, schools, and citizens. He also served as Energy Advisor for Santa Cruz County Supervisor Pat Liberty and served on the Energy Advisory Committee for the City of Santa Cruz.
In 1997, Robert and his wife built a passive solar home in Santa Cruz County and outfitted it with an off-grid solar photovoltaic system. He has been living with solar energy since then, always looking for new ways to apply solar in his daily life. He drives a solar-charged Plug-in Prius, heats his water with a solar water heating system, and bakes his bread in his solar oven. He has served as host to hundreds of people who have toured his home to see his solar exploits firsthand.
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