Eclipse Now Posted February 28, 2021 Report Share Posted February 28, 2021 Quote Our entire problem is that human lifestyle is fundamentally incompatible with natural renewal cycles, such as heavy use of fertilizers for a few years and then needing the soil to lay fallow to rejuvinate. I would put it slightly differently and say that our current technologies are incompatible. That is changing. You mentioned hemp above? That is just one example of alternative feedstocks that can fundamentally change the industrial ecosystem. I'm convinced we already have the Technology to feed, clothe, house, warm, cool, transport, and educate all 11 billion of us that are modelled to be here this century. Renewable energy and Breeder Reactors that eat nuclear waste could power our lives. New Urbanist and Ecocity plans can give us comfortable walking-distance lifestyles on a fraction of the land of suburbia. When we have to drive, EV's are on the way to provide carbon-neutral transport. There are restorative food systems that can heal instead of harm our world, with seaweed and shellfish farms able to provide all the food and protein we could need for many *times* today's population. There are positive trends in alternative meat patties based on veggies (Impossible Burger), insect patties, and even future food sources from bacteria. It turns out we are close to building Sci-Fi like bacteria farms that could entirely replace farming with fermenting - called "ferming". That could mean returning much of the grazing land on earth back to nature. https://eclipsenow.wordpress.com/food/ There are even trends in industry towards kinder, greener chemistry and more recycled building materials. We can recycle all our waste - and even use new bugs that digest and recycle all our plastics. Finally, we can empower and educate little girls in developing countries to solve population growth. Add in a little economic security in retirement and even poorer states like Kerala India can experience the 'demographic transition' without having first world levels of affluence. With all the energy we need coming from renewable energy (I include uranium from seawater in that category) and renewable materials and sustainable food sources - 11 billion people living in ecocities could be awesome. It doesn't *have* to spell doom and gloom. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
write4u Posted February 28, 2021 Report Share Posted February 28, 2021 (edited) New Zealand river first in the world to be given legal human status A river in New Zealand has become the first in the world to be granted the same legal rights as a person. Quote The New Zealand parliament passed the bill recognising the Whanganui River, in North Island, as a living entity. Long revered by New Zealand's Maori people, the river's interests will now be represented by two people. The Maori had been fighting for over 160 years to get this recognition for their river, a minister said. "I know the initial inclination of some people will say it's pretty strange to give a natural resource a legal personality," said New Zealand's Treaty Negotiations Minister Chris Finlayson. "But it's no stranger than family trusts, or companies or incorporated societies." https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-39282918 India becomes second country to give rivers human status (CNN) — Quote A decades-long fight against river pollution in India has been given a much needed boost. On Monday, a court in the Himalayan state of Uttarakhand declared the Yamuna and Ganges rivers “living entities.” The court justified its ruling on the grounds that the rivers were “losing their very existence” and the situation required “extraordinary measures to be taken to preserve and conserve the Rivers Ganga and Yamuna,” using an alternative name for the Ganges. https://www.cnn.com/2017/03/22/asia/india-river-human When will the US give equal rights to our natural resources? Edited February 28, 2021 by write4u Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OceanBreeze Posted March 1, 2021 Report Share Posted March 1, 2021 8 hours ago, write4u said: India becomes second country to give rivers human status On Monday, a court in the Himalayan state of Uttarakhand declared the Yamuna and Ganges rivers “living entities.” When will the US give equal rights to our natural resources? India giving equal rights to the Ganges is a joke. They should be giving it the “Last Rights”, considering how polluted it is. “The Ganges River, a holy river that was once pure Himalayan Mountain water has turned into a slimy monstrosity. If we were to look at any other river in the world, the Ganges would be the most polluted by quite the margin.” write4u 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
write4u Posted March 1, 2021 Report Share Posted March 1, 2021 Tears welling......for shame. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eclipse Now Posted March 1, 2021 Report Share Posted March 1, 2021 (edited) Yeah, plastics, pollution, overuse - half the world's rivers don't even reach the ocean. But new types of agriculture are coming that use water totally differently. On the positive side, there are efforts in some of our cities to unearth old rivers. The Cheonggyecheon in Seoul is a great example. This river was once a mere drain, covered in traffic clogged highways and forgotten. Now it is a peaceful recreational park and cycleway. It attracts crowds that support local businesses. It cut through the choked highway and - with a few bus services and cycleways - the highway traffic didn't just spill over to side streets - it disappeared. Done right, unearthed rivers can become the heart of a New Urban town plan just like a main street or town square. It also became a city ecosystem with fish and birds and bees. It allows wind to blow through the city lowering temperatures in summer by an average 2 degrees. All those air-conditioners have a bit less work to do, saving energy. Once buried, the river in Seoul is now a main feature. It can happen again. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cheonggyecheon Edited March 1, 2021 by Eclipse Now write4u 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
write4u Posted March 2, 2021 Report Share Posted March 2, 2021 (edited) Roman waterways. http://engineeringrome.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/IMG_3747-1024x768.jpg Figure 2. The iconic Tiber river, a key component of Rome’s advantageous founding location. Quote According to legend, Rome was founded by the brothers Romulus and Remus in 753 B.C.E. [6]. Rome’s location provided two key advantages: its seven hills made city defense more manageable and the Tiber river supplied a steady source of water. The first water-related project in Rome was likely the Cloaca Maxima, or the Great Sewer. Quote The Cloaca Maxima was a drainage canal that began construction in 600 B.C.E. at the order of the fifth king of Rome, Tarquinius Priscus. Priscus’ intention was to drain the flood-prone area between three of Rome’s hills (Palatine, Esquiline, and Capitoline) which would later become the Roman Forum [7]. This area was originally 20 feet below sea level and flooded annually by the Tiber, but under Priscus’s guidance the basin was filled with soil and debris until the ground level rose by 30 feet. The surface was then paved in order to allow for the construction of the main canal, which would convey flood waters into the Tiber in order to prevent erosion in the Forum. Quote As the city expanded over time, additional canal segments were frequently added and modified to fit the needs of the growing populace. Eventually these canals were covered to allow for structures to be built above them, creating the sewer network that is still in place today. The main outfall of the Cloaca Maxima into the Tiber river is still standing in modern-day Rome; a testament to the ingenuity of the first Roman civil engineers. http://engineeringrome.org/the-water-system-of-ancient-rome/ Edited March 2, 2021 by write4u Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eclipse Now Posted March 3, 2021 Report Share Posted March 3, 2021 And rather than just quoting something - what are your thoughts on the subject? I'm convinced we have the technology to offer everyone on earth a convenient modern life. We just need the political will power to do that. Ecocity or New Urban planning is one of those technologies. Please watch this video, it's only 4 minutes and it rocks. write4u 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
write4u Posted March 3, 2021 Report Share Posted March 3, 2021 Nicely done and made attractive for actual implementation. There is one statement I disagree with. "Save the Planet" is identifying the wrong victim. The Earth doesn't need saving. I's doing just fine . It's been through a lot worse than mankind in its 4.5 billion years. It is "Life on Earth" that needs saving. I believe George Carlin was brutally right in this little skit. And it is topical today. Especially now that Texas has lifted mandatory covid protections. Unbelievable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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