Steve
Over the long haul with out great change in resource consumption its
doubtful humanity will do any thing but collapse under its own resource
consumption weight. Of course it will take with it most other species too.
Tis a shame. Yet there is hope. At this time utilizing current technological
efficiencies may make all the difference, in the worlds out comes.
Unfortunately the time does seem all to short as the ecological losses are
present and ongoing. Something we never will get back. Mans own attainable
level of well-being seems at great and increasing risk.
Two issues seem most urgent. 1 leveling population expansion and 2 leveling
resource consumption to sustainable levels. Leveling population expansion
seems easy as it is merely a matter of establishing equality at a certain
level of well being (adequate, food, water, shelter, and healthcare) that
removes the population from the experiences of premature death. That removal
of those experience supposedly takes 3 generations however. Then allows that
generation to abandon their heavily steeped cultural practices of
maintaining high birthrates to insure genetic continuance. The level of
well-being sought however is that enjoyed by the 1/5 much smaller modern
civilization. Who’s resource consumption cannot possibly be applied equally
with out exhausting resources long before it could be accomplished.
Our success in achieving a sustainable society seems to rest both on
achieving equality and a far greater resource efficiency too. Both appear
doubtful!
Mans present direction is away from not toward both goals.
There is however a glimmer of hope. One specifically that I have been
clinging to.
Thankfully reaching a sustainable society does not solely rest with in, our
all getting together and helping each other to this point of equality. Sadly
mankind has not evolved consciously to act in that behalf yet. Fortunately
we do have other means at our disposal ones that will not require such
benevolence.
There is much that we can do as a society. A greater utilization of
technological advances can make a huge difference in resource consumption.
The efficiencies we are capable of are far greater than what we have
utilized.
Introducing recent technologies into transport alone suggest the ability to
make wondrous strides toward leveling resource consumption and developing
the necessary well-being. Transport processes currently are nearly devoid of
utilizing technological efficiencies. The vehicular arena alone could be
several times more resource efficient.
Transport costs by the way posses the greatest influence on the very
abilities of society. Everything, that is every thing that moves is
influenced by transport costs.
In after exploring a few transport related sites its easy to see that we are
on the verge of a transport evolution. Transport need not be carried out the
way it has been for so long. Enormous efficiencies can be had by doing
nothing more than introducing more efficient technologies into their design.
Although big business and its political pals may have been holding it back.
The designs are simply packed with far reaching economies that simply cannot
be ignored much longer.
The question of how long can these application be held off makes me wonder.
Here’s a transportation sight you may find interesting. Its packed with
references to developing transport designs.
Be prepared to spend a bit of time as I find it so fascinating I can hardly
get away from exploring all the sites of different systems.
- Jerry Schneider -
- Home page: http://faculty.washington.edu/~jbs
- Innovative Transportation Technologies:
http://faculty.washington.edu/~jbs/itrans
- Transit-Focused Development: http://www.peak.org/~jbs
It appears perhaps transport possesses the greatest influence on societies
abilities. That at this point in time our fastest movement in a sustainable
direction lies in speeding both well-being and curbing resource consumption.
Changing transport processes promises the ability to make enormous strides
in the time and ability to do both.
I suspect energy consumption could be 1/20 todays levels.
The increased speeds and safety due to automation coupled with elevation and
a large removal of impacts on ecological and environmental resources would
go along way to getting us back in a sustainable direction.
PLEASE visit
my "Sustainable Society" web page http://members.delphi.com/geeoh
or join in the conversation at my "Sustainable Development Forum"
http://forums.delphi.com/m/mydelphi/mydelphi.asp?sigdir=SustainableDev
Voice your concerns, observations, and insights. Be the Sapient Being you
are!
sapient 1 full of knowledge; wise; sagacious; discerning 2 of or
relating to the existing human species (Homo sapiens )
George [EMAIL PROTECTED]
American Tree Services Panama City, Fl. 32401-2425
-----Original Message-----
From: Steve Kurtz <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: ECOL-ECON <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>; futurework
<[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Date: Saturday, September 04, 1999 7:09 PM
Subject: Worldwatch report on Unemployment
>Greetings,
>
>I've presented my (similiar) views on this linkage for the three years
>I've been on-line, and received little response. With the limits of
>waste sinks and non-renewable resources, growth &/or development (even
>with better technology and social policy) are proving incapable of
>providing solutions. Or so it seems to me.
>
>Steve
>
>
