Friday, July 12, 2002

Time to Grow Up ? Timothy Wilken The SynEARTH network is for humans. At News for a Synergic Earth, I try to have an equal serving of good news and bad news--the carrot and the stick. The bad news are problems that need to be fixed. The good news are opportunities to fix problems. I am trying to motivate my fellow humans to grow up. Our species is in crisis. We are simply too powerful to live as children. This is a problem that all parents face. If a two year old throws a temper tantrum, most mothers can contain the violent outburst of the child and protect him and others. But as the child grows, he gets physically much stronger. If a 12 yo throws a temper tantrum it may be hard for both parents to contain him and protect others. And when the child gets even older ... Dylan Klebold, 17, and Eric Harris, 18 armed with semi-automatic rifles threw temper tantrums at Columbine High School, it took a swat team to contain them. And the cost was 15 deaths and 34 casualties. Now our human societies are growing ever stronger, India, Pakistan, Israel, China, Russia, France, England, and the United States are all armed with nuclear weapons. Iraq, Korea, Iran and many other nations are heavily armed with conventional weapons, and some may have biological and chemical weapons of mass destruction.  If /when a society throws a temper tantrum, there will be no power than can protect us. We, Humans are a life form that adapts to our environment by understanding and control. This is the power of Time-binding. Time-binding is unlimited. When human knowledge is incorporated into 'matter-energy' it is called a tool. Humans make tools. When a tool is used to hurt others, it becomes a weapon. BOEING  767s are tools used transport humans all over the Earth. But when they were deliberately flown into the Trade Towers, they became weapons. Since human knowledge grows without limit, human societies can make tools without limit -- or -- they can make weapons without limit. ... Knowledge is knowing how to make a nuclear weapon. Wisdom is knowing not to make one. Isn't time for humanity to grow up? A Sustainable Energy Plan for the United States Guy Dauncey writes: European countries get by on half as much energy per unit of GDP (and per capita) while enjoying a perfectly civilized life. Using today’s technologies, every building, appliance, factory process, and vehicle in North America could be twice as efficient. Using tomorrow’s technologies, they could be four to ten times more efficient. The trick is to overcome the barriers that tie us to wasteful technologies instead of smart ones.Here are some of the policies that could cut our electricity demand by 75 percent by 2020, to 1,360 TWh, without any loss of quality:  • Apply a mandatory 1- to 4-star rating to every appliance, house, and vehicle, so that people can see what is smart and what is stupid, and give big tax credits for the purchase of every 4-star item. Award annual “achievement” tax credits to the companies that produce the most efficient appliances and technologies.  • Ramp up the national energy code for buildings, and then build on San Francisco’s example: make it mandatory for all existing buildings, as well as new ones. Allow buildings to be nonconforming, but make the code kick in whenever a building is sold, whenever a lease is renewed, or whenever an owner applies for a building permit for changes worth more than $10,000. Since the average family moves house every five years, the process will soon take hold.  • Establish a national electricity efficiency tax, or Public Benefit Charge, as California, Oregon, Minnesota, and 18 other states have done. This will increase the price of electricity, but return 100 percent of the revenue as rebates and incentives for energy efficiency upgrades. (07/12/02) Something Very Special Dan Shafer writes: Peace and love are in short supply if you don't look for them. Right now is the only time we have to live. My good buddy Tyson Vaughan sent me this one and I can't recommend it highly enough. It is becoming a ritual for me to visit it as often as I remember. This is one of the most inspirational and beautifully designed sites of which I am aware. (07/12/02) 8:19:55 AM

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