Running on Empty: A Handbook for Understanding and Surviving the Energy Crisis

Running on Empty is not a technical book, and it isn't a how to book. You won't learn how to install a solar collector or wind turbine. What you will get from reading it is a clear, concise overview of the energy crisis. Yes, Mr. Greene makes it eminently clear that in his view we do have an energy crisis, it is connected to global warming and, yes we do cause it by burning fossil fuels. I am inclined to agree. There were three things I really liked about the book. First was the straightforward writing. It presented the arguments and let you draw your own conclusions. It even put forth the counter arguments. If you are a climate change denier this book won't give you anything but heartburn. I specially liked the part about peak oil. It convinced me that unless we use every resource at our disposal, including oil, we're screwed. The other thing which I liked about the book is that you can read it chapter by chapter and not lose your way. The chapters on alternatives are all pretty much self-contained. You can chip away at it at your own pace. Running on Empty is at times amusing and at other times serious, especially in the last chapter where it talks about the future. The chapter on energy savings is probably worth the cost of the book alone.