Wednesday, August 15, 2001

Sustainability, Energy, Resources, and Housing

by Kermit Schlansker

To most people, sustainability means the indefinite maintenance of present day living standards. This can not happen. Within 50 years, the high cost of energy and other raw materials will cause the cost of living to sky rocket so that most people will not be able to afford what we have today. The result may be anarchy and chaos. The only society that can really survive is a society based on planning, ultimate thrift, hard work, and technology. Running out of energy and other raw materials is inevitable. Malthus predicted that populations would over run food supply and famine would result. His predictions have been delayed by the usage of fossil fuels and mined fertilizers. However as populations increase and these materials are depleted, his predictions will come true. There can be only temporary definitions of sustainability because as the threat increases, the countermeasures will have to be more desperate. A society that can be maintained for 200 years must cut energy consumption to levels which can be sustained by solar, wind, biomass, and other renewable sources. It must take countermeasures against catastrophic events such as Global warming. It must recycle and use with thrift all raw materials. The bulk of the population must give up single family houses and private transportation.