mramshaw

In 'The Upside of Down', Thomas Homer-Dixon relates our civilization to the Roman Empire. He describes how it collapsed under the inexorable demands of its increasing energy needs and relates this to our modern energy consumption fueled by easy access to cheap energy in the form of fossil fuels, as well as the threats to our current way of life posed by peak oil and our failure to moderate the growth of our energy consumption.

Here we see evidence of this: the dawn is breaking and - despite the early hour - the streets are brightly lit by street lamps and traffic lights. There is minimal traffic and there are no pedestrians on the streets yet but an early taxi cab - his passenger headlight angled towards the sidewalk so that any 'flags' can be easily spotted - trawls for custom. On the right, the illuminated awning of an international coffee chain is clearly visible, providing a welcoming presence for early commuters in need of caffeine.