Economic growth and environmental sanity

[Ilya Shambat]

There are many people who believe economic growth and environmental
sanity to be interests opposite of one another. That does not have to
be the case. The environmental problems of today are not a result of
economic growth or of technology.They are a result of wrong
technologies and brainless short-sighted economic practices such as
burning the Amazonian rainforests and flooding the atmosphere and the
oceans with CO2. And better, smarter technologies stand to add to
economic growth and prosperity as much as they stand to reduce
pollution and environmental destruction.

In early 20th century, the world moved from candles and horse and
buggy to electricity and cars. Many people feared that this process
would result in loss of jobs; but its actual result was vast
prosperity all around. Transitioning toward better energy technologies
is a less difficult task than was transitioning from candles and horse
and buggy to electricity and cars. Most of these technologies exist
already, and it is a matter of putting them into place.

There people who claim that the problem is not happening are as wrong
as are the people who want to impugn technology and economic growth as
such. It does not take a rocket scientist to understand that, when you
flood the air with CO2 while cutting down the trees that absorb CO2,
you have big problems. Fortunately these problems are solvable
problems. They are solved, while doing no violence to people’s
prosperity or economic growth, by putting better technologies into
place.

This stands to carry a vast array of other benefits. Oil will last
longer and will be used to produce higher-end goods, making more money
in the long run to oil companies and oil workers. People who are
loathe to participate in the economy for idealistic reasons will have
a field in which they can work and contribute while remaining true to
their ideals. Putting these better technologies into place will create
many jobs and vast prosperity, even as savings will be realized over
the long term by replacing less efficient technologies with better
technologies. Moving toward better technologies is as good for the
economy as it is for the environment, and both economic growth and
environmental sanity stand to be served through this transition.

It is time to stop denying reality and instead implement real
solutions. The uncontrolled carbon emissions combined with rainforest
deforestation is poisoning the oceans and destroying the climate, and
it has caused already a large loss of life and property all around the
world. The solution is not to do away with technology or economic
growth any more than it is to deny the problem. The solution is to
transition to better technologies. This will benefit both the economy
and the environment and result in an all-around gain in the quality of
life.

[Bret Cahill]

> There are many people who believe economic growth and environmental
> sanity to be interests opposite of one another.

Just as vultures are part of the ecosystem, vulture capitalism is part
of the economic system.

> That does not have to
> be the case.

That depends on how effective the people and the internet are at using
and politics to change the economic system.

> The environmental problems of today are not a result of
> economic growth or of technology.They are a result of wrong
> technologies and brainless short-sighted economic practices such as
> burning the Amazonian rainforests and flooding the atmosphere and the
> oceans with CO2. And better, smarter technologies stand to add to
> economic growth and prosperity as much as they stand to reduce
> pollution and environmental destruction.

Libertarians don't want to pay taxes so someone else can get an
education and a higher paying job. They are too envious for that.

Good luck getting any of this in the presidential debates.

Big Pharma is paying presidental debate moderator Bob $chieffer to ask
the "tough" questions on naked nazi flagburner parade late term this
gay that issues that "just happen" to Jerry Springerize the political
debate off of economic issues.

Aint that a coincidence?


Bret Cahill

[Bret Cahill]

> There are many people who believe economic growth and environmental
> sanity to be interests opposite of one another. That does not have to
> be the case. The environmental problems of today are not a result of
> economic growth or of technology.They are a result of wrong
> technologies and brainless short-sighted economic practices such as
> burning the Amazonian rainforests and flooding the atmosphere and the
> oceans with CO2. And better, smarter technologies stand to add to
> economic growth and prosperity as much as they stand to reduce
> pollution and environmental destruction.

That's called "creative destruction" by vulture capitalists.

> In early 20th century, the world moved from candles and horse and
> buggy to electricity and cars. Many people feared that this process
> would result in loss of jobs; but its actual result was vast
> prosperity all around. Transitioning toward better energy technologies
> is a less difficult task than was transitioning from candles and horse
> and buggy to electricity and cars. Most of these technologies exist
> already, and it is a matter of putting them into place.

Anyone with any science background will tell you that actually getting
sustainable is daunting to say the least.

Good luck getting any of this in the presidential debates.

Big Pharma is paying presidental debate moderator Bob $chieffer to
ask
the "tough" questions on naked nazi flagburner parade late term this
gay that issues that "just happen" to Jerry Springerize the political
debate off of economic issues.

Bret Cahill

[Bret Cahill]

"Big Pharma" is shorthand for the 0.01% and Bob $chieffer is shorthand
for the media of the 0.01%.

To be sure both are "iconic" to use an overused word.


Bret Cahill