|
Title: Discuss whether the use of resources by Americans is a fair allocation of the pl Post by: colleen on Jul 7, 2012 Discuss whether the use of resources by Americans is a fair allocation of the planet’s resources.
Title: Re: Discuss whether the use of resources by Americans is a fair allocation of the pl Post by: how_mendel on Jul 25, 2012 Many economists say we can infinitely substitute when resources decline, that human ingenuity can compensate for scarcity. Examples would be plastic for wood, or aluminum for copper. But perhaps the ultimate question is how far are will willing to go to alter the natural environment to provide for our wants?
Also, there is the question of waste heat. Since energy production from combustion is relatively inefficient, we produce ever-increasing amounts of ‘waste” heat when we burn fossil fuels. A typical gasoline engine wastes 90% of the fuel’s energy, for example. The use of renewables and fuel cells in the future could avoid this. Soil loss is also a big problem which, in the long run, might determine sustainability. One final question: Is it essential, important, desirable, or irrelevant to preserve natural systems, and to what extent? |