With the Media narrowly focused on our economic woes for the past few weeks here are a couple of recent YouTube gems that broaden the picture. The ongoing recession in Ireland is not an isolated event but one of the many emergent outcomes of an industrial society hitting the limits to growth.

First off Richard Heinberg condenses the past 200 years of fossil fuel powered global economic growth into an entertaining animation with profound questions about how we might organise ourselves for a long period of economic contraction.

As climate negotiators this week in Cancun in Mexico try to rescue anything face-saving from the ashes of Copenhagen (read Monbiot and Albert Bates coverage), and as the planet continues to heat up regardless, a simple idea called Cap & Share – which would simultaneously control emissions and boost equality – has been gaining attention. In this short spoof the Cap and Share proposal is made simple by 007.

Finally the first part of an indepth condensed version of Chris Martenson’s “Crash Course” which brings together the economy, energy and the environment into a powerful presentation that leaves the viewer in no doubt that our civilisation is at a significant turning point with both dangers and opportunities ahead.