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Melanie
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2050: End of the World?
July 11, 2002 - 06:51 AM
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Earth 'will expire by 2050'
Our planet is running out of room and resources. Modern man has plundered so much, a damning report claims this week, that outer space will have to be colonised.
After reading this article, I remembered how little people in the US recycle or reuse things (lack of programs--money and initiative), such as bottles for vases, or throw away bread ends.
Well...
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Jennifer H.
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I've been thinking the same thing!
July 11, 2002 - 11:54 AM
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I have been thinking about how wasteful us Americans are, and it is overwhelming, the fact that each citizen produces at least 4.3 pounds of garbage per day! I am not sure if the world is really going to 'expire' in 2050, but people still need to be aware of how wasteful it is to not recycle and just the excessive amount of packaging that is used on the foods in the average American grocery store.
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Robert Margolis
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Re: 2050: End of the World?
July 12, 2002 - 08:18 AM
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The Economist just put out a great series of articles on the environment and emerging technologies:
http://www.economist.com/printedition/displayStory.cfm?Story_ID=1213432
http://www.economist.com/printedition/displaystory.cfm?story_id=1199867
http://www.economist.com/science/displaystory.cfm?story_id=1213257
Maybe I am too old, but I remember how the Club of Rome said how doomed we were in the '70s. Their analysis was interesting, however they did not take into account the gains in energy efficiency or could predict the IT revolution which allowed higher economic growth with much less environmental damage. They only extrapolated based on their knowledge at that time.
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Peter Ovwiovwio
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Re: 2050: End of the World?
July 17, 2002 - 01:37 AM
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though the concern for the safety of the environment has become a global issue,developing states still suffer a lot of threat to its environment,threats which have been identified as emanating from the West(industralised World).The disposing of harzadous waste in developing african states is one that calls for urgent international/global attention.One fact that must be remembered is that,the long run effect of such act will be counter productive in that,it will go back to the West,either through export of agricultural products from these same states or through the deplation of the Ozone system.Its also well noted that some of these african states trade in these wastes,by accepting money for poison,but the world,if well intended could correct this.The effort of some of the affected states in their decisions to end this act which culmunated in the bamako convetion must here be commended.Africa and other neighbours to heavy waste generating countries like USA,will soon see the light and breath the air of freedom as things are taking a new trend.
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Robert Margolis
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Related Article
July 17, 2002 - 03:42 AM
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On the subject of the trade in toxic waste, here is an article on "shipbreaking". Old ships are sent from the west to India to be broken up and recycled.
http://www.theatlantic.com/issues/2000/08/langewiesche.htm
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Mike
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I dont...
July 17, 2002 - 07:48 AM
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I dont even know who or what the Rome Club is, but I can understand your point about not knowing what the future holds.
Basically, I think its quite clear that one of the easiest ways to ensure the safety of humanity's existence in the coming century(s) is to act now to conserve what we have left. Whether that means taking the initative and developing newer ways of creating and distributing energy, or just taking the time to seperate the recyclables from the trash, everyone HAS to play their part.
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Raymond M. Kristiansen
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Re: 2050: End of the World?
July 17, 2002 - 08:21 AM
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the reference to the Rome Club is interesting.
There are a lot of issues connected to this kind of "prophecy" about the future of the world. Firstly, what we indeed need to consider is the Positive developments of - for instance making more effective use of materials in products. There seems to be more than a few bits of 'religion' in this kind of discussion. The way I see it, being environmentally friendly is about pragmatism; long term pragmatism. But there are fanatics on both camps, who either want to make a big ethical/moralistic issue of how much water you use when you take a shower, or who see no point in using filters for their factory waste because "It can just run out into the ocean". What we need to aim for is the middle road. Today, in lots of ways, we are not aiming towards this at all.
Sensibility is a virtue not being hailed much these days. That is a pity.
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Mike
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Re: 2050: End of the World?
July 17, 2002 - 08:38 AM
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Id like to know if anyone has the numbers on the leading causes of pollution.
Is it really energy production, or is it something more subliminal like car exhaust or, even, forest fires?
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Robert Margolis
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Amen
July 17, 2002 - 08:46 AM
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Pragmatism is nice. Especially when it is flavored with a little vision just to keep things from stagnating.
On Pred's question, loss of habitat and transportation are probably the biggies. Energy production is the biggest on greeenhouse emissions.
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Mike
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Other trades...
July 17, 2002 - 10:51 AM
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Australia, like many European countries as well, trades in environmental 'points.' What happens is, European countries without the space or the climate buy forests in Australia and preserve them, therefore giving them a larger proportion of 'undertaken environment saving initiatives' as the Kyoto Protocol demands.
That, and it keeps the foreign governments out of trouble with industries fearing cutbacks through reducing emissions.
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Mike Kantor
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Re: 2050: End of the World?
August 12, 2002 - 11:03 AM
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no matter how much we try and conserve, the exponential rate at which human kind is reproducing will ensure our failure. very soon there will simply be too many human beings on the earth, and no matter how much we recycle, it will be necessary to colonize space.
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Robert Margolis
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Actually...
August 13, 2002 - 08:48 AM
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The expense of colonizing space is VERY high. It is actually cheaper to fix the population/resource problems on earth rather than try to bring in more resources from space. I am all for going into space, however it will not be justified on getting a lower population on earth.
While resources are finite in the very long term, there is still quite enough for our population if we use them wisely.
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Mike Kantor
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Re: 2050: End of the World?
August 13, 2002 - 09:28 AM
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yes for our population today, but look at the worlds population growth, it is increasing exponentially. will the world be able to sustain 14 billion people? how bout 28 billion? its not too far off, and no matter the cost, space will be the only option.
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Robert Margolis
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Re: 2050: End of the World?
August 13, 2002 - 11:09 AM
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It certainly depends on what the population will be. Likely it will stabilize around 14 billion. To fly billions of people into space and establish colonies would be an enormous undertaking. For that kind of money, talent, and resources, you could do a lot more simpler things to control population and environmental restoration.
I hesitate to quote Amory Lovins, but in this case, this is "cutting butter with a chainsaw." ;-)
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Mike Kantor
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Re: 2050: End of the World?
August 14, 2002 - 10:38 AM
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how do u propose we will stabilize the population at 14 billion? are people just gonna stop having babies? i dont think its possible to stabilize the worlds population, unless of course u are just refering to the fact taht the world cant support much more than that, and people will just start dieing off? thats the whole point, people will start dieing off if we do nothing.
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