EnviroLink Forum

Fortunately, environmental destruction is a self-correcting problem. That which cannot go on forever, stops.

This human civilization, if that's what it is, cannot go on forever. Continuous growth is impossible in a finite world.

When one finds oneself at the edge of a precipice, with toe hairs blowing in the breeze, one has two and only two choices: take a step backwards, or, turn around and take a step forward.

"Growth for the sake of growth is the ideology of the cancer cell." Ed Abbey

Which is part of the reason humankind looks to the stars for expansion ....

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With friends like Guido, you will not have enemies for long.

“Intellect is invisible to the man who has none”
Arthur Schopenhauer

"The difference between genius and stupidity is that genius has its limits."
Albert Einstein

Looking to the stars for expansion is a fruitless endeavor. There is not enough energy resources on this planet to allow any significant expansion anywhere beyond the solar system, given the vast distance to even the nearest planetary system ... and there's no place in the solar system where humans can live.

We must relearn how to live on this one planet where life has evolved.

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With friends like Guido, you will not have enemies for long.

“Intellect is invisible to the man who has none”
Arthur Schopenhauer

"The difference between genius and stupidity is that genius has its limits."
Albert Einstein

It is a gamble to try another planet, even Mars would take several hundred years to terraform, others would require generational ships.
The thing is, Earth will become unlivable with methane runaway, for millions of years. Trying to stop it with a large enough aerosol event is another gamble requiring a lot of work from the 1% survivors.
The chances are mighty slim for any of them, with time running out here before runaway begins, with its abrupt rise to thermal max.
Perhaps the best thing we can do is pray for Divine Intervention to save some of us and most other species.
It is too bad humans did not adopt a philosophy of sustainability with no harm to the biosphere thousands of years ago.

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"With every decision, think seven generations ahead of the consequences of your actions" Ute rule of life.
“We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors; we borrow it from our children”― Chief Seattle
“Those Who Have the Privilege to Know Have the Duty to Act”…Albert Einstein

The biggest problem with Mars is radiation. It doesn't have much of an atmosphere to protect us.

After that dryness, cold, and a zillion other things.

Perpetual growth is non-sustainable. We are like an algae bloom in a pond, but in slow motion. The way we are abusing the planet, I think the young people will see crops failing. That' will probably be the first thing that happens and the start of the trying times before we become like a post apocalypse move, or worse than that, pass the tipping point where we can no longer survive on Earth.

That will probably happen long before we figure out how to live on Mars.

I'm glad I'm as old as I am, I saw better times.

Bob