A truly sustainable future?

There needs to be a way of reorganizing and re-prioritizing the entire modus operandi on which humans presently place top priority on accumulation of gadgets and excess material goods, most of them non renewable. It's too radical presently to even consider doing away with rampant capitalism---too scary, let alone the Randian-Darwinists would never -ever entertain such an idea, let alone allow it. Too much of WANTS instead of NEEDS is driving us --eventually to self destruction, IMO. The present system is inequitable, unsustainable, but probably won't be paid attention to, until much upheaval takes place.

However---there are all kinds of other oils that would suffice for paper, plastics, food, lubrication, etc, that will/would keep this system going.

West Texas could be COVERED with solar and wind. There's nothing else there.

Small diesel engines in cars running on Hemp oil.

Larger engines in trucks --same.

 

I have been getting more and more concerned about this recently myself. I live in the UK, and have noticed the flickering lights (I use the old incandescent bulbs which really show this up) and the stories in the newspapers how there aren't enough power stations, they're having to build nuclear power stations as there isn't enough green energy (wind farms and solar) to power the whole of the UK. I think it is more and more likely this country will start to have blackouts. And as an urban dweller too, I agree with you, we would be completely unprepared and unable to cope.

I am currently looking into self-sufficiency and what would be possible with where I live, to have solar power electricity, how I could have my own water supply (collecting rainwater I guess?) and trying to live off-grid, even though I live in an urban home. At the moment I am looking into getting solar powered lights and chargers for things like mobile phones and maybe laptops? I rent my home so I don't think I could do anything drastic like putting solar panels on the roof, and this is likely to be a similar situation for many people.

I think the whole population could become self-sufficient if the homes could be modernised to do so. If all homes in the UK had solar panels fitted on their rooves, small wind turbines attached to their chimneys, composting toilets (which would hugely reduce sewage and drainage problems), and plumbing to reuse grey water from sinks. It could be done, but would be hugely expensive. If housing associations can go round making homes energy efficient with cavity wall and loft insulation, it makes sense that the government could fund these modifications. Of course, if there wasn't a global economic crisis, that would really help! :2thumbsup:

 

well first of all, there's nothing darwinist about the randians, and nothing objectivist either, however much they might love the doubletalk of calling themselves that. you're almost on the right track though.

as for the rest of the tea nazis, i don't think you'll see so many of them around when everyone starts starving.

there's a problem with the idea of growing fuel crops too. they displace food crops, people starve, and as long as you're burning anything, you're still dumping the same crap into the air and water.

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solar power, narrow gauge railways, and universally mutual consideration.

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basically engineer everything with universally mutual consideration for everything.

anything less will not prove sustainable.

forget the automobile.

forget the whole attitude of self aggrandizement.

its that whole perspective that is at the root of the problem.

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if you want a sustainable world. and i know i do.

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it would also help, to stop chopping down so many trees and making so many babies.

but energy and transportation are the big ones.

and the price of not making these changes, forget about earthquakes and tsunamis,

its famine and pandemic that will do for humanity, worse then any war, and a lot less entertaining.

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