The City in Mind: South of the Border

Released: Sept. 22, 2011

Twelve years ago James Howard Kunstler visited Mexico City to write a chapter for his book The City in Mind. He recently returned there to speak at a conference. In this podcast Jim shares his thoughts on the history, present state and future prospects for this major world city.

JHK Reacts

Released: May 12, 2011

James Howard Kunstler shares his thoughts on the capture and destruction of Osama bin Laden and the future of U.S. relations in the Middle East.

Sponsor:

This week’s sponsor is The Congress for the New Urbanism, the nation’s leading advocacy organization dedicated to promoting walkable, mixed-use neighborhood development, sustainable communities and healthier living conditions.

Express Ticket to A World Made By Hand

Released: March 17, 2011

After the recent earthquake and tsunami, James Howard Kunstler believes that Japan may be propelled into a much different society very quickly — one that somewhat resemble his World Made By Hand vision. But JHK thinks that using less fossil fuel and dexomplexifying their society might be a good thing for Japan as it may give them a headstart down the road that other complex societies like the U.S. are heading anyway.

Sponsor:

This week’s sponsor is PostPeakLiving.com, offering online courses that prepare you for a post-peak world. Enroll now in the UnCrash Course, Sustainable Post-Peak Livelihoods, Navigating the Coming Chaos, Introduction to Sustainable Gardening or Chickens 101. Find out more at: http://postpeakliving.com.

JHK Takes Questions from the Audience

Released: Feb. 24, 2011

JHK and Duncan get caught up on questions from listener callers. Topics include post-petroleum education, the homogenization of America, Vancouver and light pollution.

Note: This episode includes one curseword.

Sponsor:

This week’s sponsor is PostPeakLiving.com, offering online courses that prepare you for a post-peak world. Enroll now in the UnCrash Course, Sustainable Post-Peak Livelihoods, Navigating the Coming Chaos, Introduction to Sustainable Gardening or Chickens 101. Find out more at: http://postpeakliving.com.

A Very Livable City…for Now

Released: Dec. 2, 2010

James Howard Kunstler reports on his recent trip to Perth, Australia. He joins host Duncan Crary by telephone during a long layover at the LAX airport on the return trip. Kunstler found Perth to be a very pleasant city with good urbanism and public transit. And in spite of an enthusiasm for suburban development, the city center is very dense. However, he believes Australians may be caught off guard by the coming geopolitical changes of the Long Emergency.

City, Town & Country Down Under

Released: Nov. 18, 2010

Jim shares his observations of Melbourne, Australia based on his recent visit to that city to speak to the VIC Urban organization. Though he was impressed by the downtown, JHK says the areas outside Melbourne look a lot like the suburban areas of Southern California. One of his stops was Aurora, a so-called “green suburb” that failed to impress. Finally, JHK shares his adventures in the countryside beyond the Australian suburbs.

History, The Prankster

Released: June 24, 2010.

James Howard Kunstler reports on his recent trip to Berlin, Germany…where everybody knows his name. Thirteen years ago, JHK traveled to Berlin to research a chapter for his third nonfiction book, The City in Mind. On his recent trip, he discovered that the place has healed remarkably over the past decade. Of course he had to go check in on the Führerbunker which is now the site of one of city’s few surface parking lots. History is a great prankster and therefore it’s no surprise to Kunstler that while the U.S. won the war against Germany, its cities looked bombed out. While Germany lost the war and its cities are beautiful, civilized places. Listeners end the show with their reactions to the BP oil spill.

Sponsor:

Support for the KunstlerCast comes from Post Carbon Institute, the world’s leading think tank dedicated to getting society off fossil fuels fast. PCI is proud to have James Howard Kunstler as a valued advisor–joining Richard Heinberg, Bill McKibben, Majora Carter, Rob Hopkins and 25 other Fellows in leading the transition to a more resilient world. Learn more at http://PostCarbon.org.

What awaits the Kiwis as the oil runs out?

Released: May 29, 2008.

A listener from New Zealand asks James Howard Kunstler what peak oil holds in store for his island nation. The picture isn’t pretty. Kunstler says the Kiwis better watch their backs. China, Japan and even Australia could all pose threats to New Zealand as they face shortages in the new energy future. At the end of the program, a cast of listeners sounds off. We hear from a black man in Queens who is not African-American, a former Long Island nanny, and an urban planner from Canada who asks Jim to lay off the planners, dude.

Direct Download:
KunstlerCast_16.mp3
( 10 MB |15 mins.)