Things that make me shake my head...
Its been deep thought time again. Well weird thought maybe. I started pondering things on and off the past couple of days...
Think right now of the things nearby you that will be disposed of within the next day or so. Paper, plastic, glass. Yes trash, but when you get rid of it, unless its recycled, it goes SOMEWHERE. Now imagine another billion people with those same things they will be disposing of. Ok, to the dump/landfill/incinerator, whatever, THINK OF THE VOLUME OF WASTE in ONE DAY. Now multiply that by your life and you kids lives. It boggles the mind to picture that much trash and it goes SOMEWHERE. WHat happens when theres no more room?
I was watching something on History channel the other day showing various things that could/will cause our demise. Many are possible and some far fetched, but they had a several experts who said as of now, we have basically reached peak production for oil. At the current rate of use ( not counting growing demand) we should exaust nearly all known reserves in 30-40 years. Think of that. Ok, no more gas, you say. Now look at things we use everyday made with petroleum. Plastics, cosmetics, fetilizer for feeding us. It boils down to, unless we radically change things, within most of our lifetimes, civilization will all but come to a screeching halt. 30-40 years is about the end of my lifespan, but most of you guys are younger than me, so ponder this...
The growing disparity between the "have" nations and the "have not" nations. What happens when 3rd world multitudes can no longer be fed/housed/cared for? Already their birth rates are staggering, more mouths born into poverty and squallor. We've seen what religious fanaticism can do to youth already, what happens when they decide they want the resources developed countries have? Its not hard to imagine hopeless people who have nothing to lose taking any means necessary to secure it, from detonating a nuke to spreading super pestilence, when desparation leave them nothing, they wont fear death.
Speaking of resources, who much of various things can we continue to use from this planet? What happens when we manage to kill off the last________ (insert species here) or extract the last ounce of mineral? And vast as the Earth is, where will all these people live? Look at countries like Bangladesh, what happens when theres simply no more room?
The very technology we have used to "better" our lives now threatens to destroy them. Safely removed from disease and accidental death, the human race continues to grow to a level we will no longer be able to support. I realized last night listening to a music count down from 1981, my life is easily half or better over. Most of these things wont directly impact me, but what about Duck Dick? Or Ryan and Lena and Ivy? or Lyn? What will their lives be like? I'm no pessimist but I cant help but think no matter how good our intentions and desire to fix it, we've already reached the point of no return. I recall reading how people always wondered what the end of man would be like, I begin to see now it wont be glorious, impact from space, volcanic hell or even the brilliant light of nuclear bombs. Instead we will go down slowly, quietly and never know whats killing us...
Think right now of the things nearby you that will be disposed of within the next day or so. Paper, plastic, glass. Yes trash, but when you get rid of it, unless its recycled, it goes SOMEWHERE. Now imagine another billion people with those same things they will be disposing of. Ok, to the dump/landfill/incinerator, whatever, THINK OF THE VOLUME OF WASTE in ONE DAY. Now multiply that by your life and you kids lives. It boggles the mind to picture that much trash and it goes SOMEWHERE. WHat happens when theres no more room?
I was watching something on History channel the other day showing various things that could/will cause our demise. Many are possible and some far fetched, but they had a several experts who said as of now, we have basically reached peak production for oil. At the current rate of use ( not counting growing demand) we should exaust nearly all known reserves in 30-40 years. Think of that. Ok, no more gas, you say. Now look at things we use everyday made with petroleum. Plastics, cosmetics, fetilizer for feeding us. It boils down to, unless we radically change things, within most of our lifetimes, civilization will all but come to a screeching halt. 30-40 years is about the end of my lifespan, but most of you guys are younger than me, so ponder this...
The growing disparity between the "have" nations and the "have not" nations. What happens when 3rd world multitudes can no longer be fed/housed/cared for? Already their birth rates are staggering, more mouths born into poverty and squallor. We've seen what religious fanaticism can do to youth already, what happens when they decide they want the resources developed countries have? Its not hard to imagine hopeless people who have nothing to lose taking any means necessary to secure it, from detonating a nuke to spreading super pestilence, when desparation leave them nothing, they wont fear death.
Speaking of resources, who much of various things can we continue to use from this planet? What happens when we manage to kill off the last________ (insert species here) or extract the last ounce of mineral? And vast as the Earth is, where will all these people live? Look at countries like Bangladesh, what happens when theres simply no more room?
The very technology we have used to "better" our lives now threatens to destroy them. Safely removed from disease and accidental death, the human race continues to grow to a level we will no longer be able to support. I realized last night listening to a music count down from 1981, my life is easily half or better over. Most of these things wont directly impact me, but what about Duck Dick? Or Ryan and Lena and Ivy? or Lyn? What will their lives be like? I'm no pessimist but I cant help but think no matter how good our intentions and desire to fix it, we've already reached the point of no return. I recall reading how people always wondered what the end of man would be like, I begin to see now it wont be glorious, impact from space, volcanic hell or even the brilliant light of nuclear bombs. Instead we will go down slowly, quietly and never know whats killing us...