X-Message-Number: 14650 Date: Mon, 09 Oct 2000 22:14:08 -0400 From: James Swayze <> Subject: Re: CryoNet #14637 - #14644 References: <> David Stodolsky wrote: > > > Population is predicted to rise to 12 billion and then stabilize or > gradually decrease. Carrying capacity of the Earth using the > technology of 30 years ago is 60 billion. Whoa!! Where did you get this figure? Especially regarding 30 year old tech! If anything 30 year old tech is dirtier and capable of carrying less people per acre. The figures I saw were that many scientists feel that we already are 4 billion over the carrying capacity of the world. The ozone hole reported two days ago as the largest ever and for the first time threatening the lives of a populated area would seem to bear this out. Don't get me wrong I am pro technology and I feel we can improve the environment and stem the tide of destruction and extinction with more tech. However, there's a big problem since the third world and I include China will inevitably need to go through a dirty tech transition just as we did. Hopefully we can jumpstart them some. I doubt though that all 1 billion Chinese nor near 2 billion Indians can afford a non CFC refrigerator and you know they want all the luxury amenities we have. Wait till they all get 1-1/2 cars like we have! We ave no right to deny them what we have either but it has the potential to wreck the planet but good. Maybe even before the omnisicent, omnipresent, omnipotent nano AI god can save us! The effect of population on the environment is not a straight line progression it is exponential. When we reach 12 billion we won't be merely twice as bad off. We might be 100 times worse off. James -- Some of our views are spacious some are merely space--RUSH Rate This Message: http://www.cryonet.org/cgi-bin/rate.cgi?msg=14650