[quote=KennethPollinger]…
P.S. As an ex-college professor (Sociology), I'm trying to figure out a way to create a college course, for credit or no-credit (continuing education) at 4-5 local Community Colleges in my area. Title of the course: Sustainable Living? The Three Es: Economy, Energy, and Environment? Introduction to a Sustainable Planet? etc… Any other ideas, guys/gals?
And why not High Schools too? Or at local Community Centers? Possibly with on-line college programs? It's infinite, of course, --well, maybe ALMOST infinite.
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Before you deliver your course, please consider what sustainability really means to you and strictly define it for your students. Unfortunately, it is one of those words that are used too often and are poorly defined. Each user seems to have a different working definition of ‘sustainabilty’.
For example, does sustainability just mean a level of reduced consumption? Or does it mean the potential for availability of a resource for future generations? Even in the short term (<150 years) our so called sustainable practices fall way short. See an ancient Iroquois definition of sustainability: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seven_generation_sustainability
Here is an introduction to the realities of sustainable living in the Edo period in Japan: http://www.resilience.org/stories/2005-04-05/japans-sustainable-society-edo-period-1603-1867
I postulate these methods are a world away from what most Americans can even imagine or are willing to practice. So can recycling, using LED lights in the home, driving a Leaf and having a few PV panels on the roof be called ‘sustainability’ given the short window during which we will have access to such luxuries? Of what long term benefit is this high tech ‘green’ consumption?
Hi Chris,Can your team subtitle this video, please? I would LOVE to watch this and share with the Deaf community as well.
Thanks,
Marvin Miller
We will, Marv.Just need a little more time. But we'll announce here when ready.
In the interim, feel free to share the transcript.
In the wake of Fukushima … what if Japan decides to tap their massive supplies of methane off shore in the form of methane hydrate?What if Alaskan and Kentucky coal is turned into diesel, gasoline and electricity?
What if we use the Navy's rail gun ability to launch solar panels into space?
What if social media or even talk show hosts have the means to set energy policy at the state level so we unblock the need for consensus at the federal level?
[quote=Tall]
I postulate these methods are a world away from what most Americans can even imagine or are willing to practice. So can recycling, using LED lights in the home, driving a Leaf and having a few PV panels on the roof be called ‘sustainability’ given the short window during which we will have access to such luxuries? Of what long term benefit is this high tech ‘green’ consumption?
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Sustainability is not that complicated of an issue and you seem to focus entirely on consumption. No form of perpetual growth is sustainable in a constrained environment.
Consumption is not necessarily evil or non-sustainable and it is not the sole, or even primary, cause of the predicament we face today.
We have been cautioned repeatedly and openly, in widely distributed books and documents, for a very long time, that we were headed for an overpopulation problem. A very solid case was presented that, if we didn't take steps to control both our population growth and consumption growth, that our choices would continue to become more limited until we reached the point when we non longer had any palatable choices.
Guess what? As a world, we listened and rejected these ideas and plowed ahead until we wound up where we are today.
US consumption greed not withstanding, the standard of living we will be reduced to because of our past and present short sightedness is not one I would choose to adopt. I believe that any return to sustainability at this point will require voluntary or involuntary population reduction as part of the solution.
That does not mean that 'green' technology, as you put it is bad or not a step in the right direction. It simply means that it is no longer enough because of the level of population overshoot and resource depletion that we have allowed to occur.
I still support 'green' technology. Green technology provides a more prudent option to other technology available on the market. I own a hybrid car and Italian scooter, which I use sparingly, and several bicycles. I know it's not enough, but I'll be darned if I'm going to go without a car while the rest of my neighbors are still up-sizing their family trucks and SUVs.
Also, loving to feel guilty, we frequently blame our consumption for the entire problem ignoring the resources that are being consumed and or destroyed in military adventures world wide. Last I heard, the US military consumes more oil than the country of Sweden. It would be interesting to find out where annual US military and security (Homeland Security, FBI, CIA, NSA, TSA…) expenditures rank in relation to the GDPs of various countries around the world.
This is not a problem we can put a dent in, as long as 98% of the planet is trying so hard to pretend everything is fine, nor is it a problem that the US government will take up as long as we keep sending Democrats and Republicans to Washington.
Ideally, sustainability should be taught, in school, in context. Possibly the best way available today to get the message across is a vehicle like the Crash Course. Chris, Adam and the Peak Prosperity staff have done a remarkable job of distilling and presenting the ideas that need to be common knowledge to everyone if we hope to move forward. I think it stand in a class by itself.
[quote=Bill Kerney]In the wake of Fukushima … what if Japan decides to tap their massive supplies of methane off shore in the form of methane hydrate?
What if Alaskan and Kentucky coal is turned into diesel, gasoline and electricity?
What if we use the Navy's rail gun ability to launch solar panels into space?
What if social media or even talk show hosts have the means to set energy policy at the state level so we unblock the need for consensus at the federal level?
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Answer:We'd still be facing the predicament of finite resources and infinite growth.
SS
I contacted the University of Basle (Prof. Ueli Mäder) for a German version of the ACC. I'll keep you posted. For the original translation team it is just a bit too much for their available resources … I liked this new "product" from the peakprosperity group. It is just scary! The road map we use with an almost religious belief in progress and economic growth is totally useless. Here in Switzerland there is a wide-spread belief that we are on the our track to a bright future…My guess is that THE collapse will come at the point when one of the dominos starts alling…!
Paul Feuermann
Thanks for the updated material.
One question.
On the scale on the x-axis of the graph at 40:55 "Mining Yield -Waste/Product. The scale seems to be incorrect. With the raw data would this really show exponential growth?
Marv (and other interested folks) -Subtitles have now been added to the ACC video.
In the player embedded in the above post, click on the "CC" icon near the bottom right. That will activate closed captioning.
Thank you for creating a very valuable resource, I would love to interview you both on how you came to dedicating yourselves to such incredible work. Would this be possible, I like to share the stories of innovative, disruptive leaders for good.
I l
I am curious as to what your take is on FEMA camps, NSA spying, military drills across the country and massive ammunition and weapon purchases by DHS and other government agencies. Do you believe these are all just a part of conspiracy theories or do you think there could be an actual threat that may come from within? Is martial law and distinct possibility you see in the near future?