The problems
This is a critical time for humans on earth. Specifically:
- We are polluting the air and changing the climate.
- We are running out of the energy we use the most (oil and gas)
- We are running out of jobs for the coming generation.
- We are gradually using up our retirement funds (social security, for example), so workers cannot count on being able to retire as planned.
- We are running out of fresh water and land to grow food on.
Through years of research, it has been found that it is possible to develop a sustainable civilization on earth if the population can be stabilized. However, it has been suggested that even if the population does stabilize, mankind cannot operate under an equilibrium system. Mankind must both grow and expand, or shrink and die out. Prior civilizations (Rome and China, for example) reached peaks and tried to stabilize their borders with natural boundaries and walls. Instead of stabilizing as planned, Rome’s population and power started to contract, and eventually, it’s civilization ended up dying out. China expanded and died back, then expanded and died back again. Both entered decadent phases as soon as they stopped expanding. Thus:
- It may be necessary to either work out the principles of stabilizing an equilibrium civilization, or to provide a means for man’s expansion beyond this earth, if man’s civilization is to continue to survive.
The Evidence
The evidence for these problems is strong and growing stronger. The evidence for the first five and the solution for each will be detailed in the five papers ap1 through ap5. A possible solution for the sixth will be shown in ap6.
Is Action Required?
There is an argument on how much can and should be done for each problem. These problems have such severe consequences, however, and impact so heavily on our lives and planet livability, that we cannot ignore them. Something must be done for each of the first five problems. The need to do something about the sixth is more uncertain, but if something can be done, it certainly should be done because it impacts the ultimate future of mankind.
The Solution
There appears to be a potential solution for the first five problems that has a high probability of success, namely:
- An ocean vessel called a SEMAN that harvests energy from wind, waves and sun and sequesters carbon dioxide in the deep ocean using part of this energy (ap1 through ap5).
Specifically, calculations show that 200 million SEMAN can operate on the oceans without overcrowding them, and that number can:
- Sequester all the carbon dioxide currently being emitted plus bring the current level down by 2050.
- Provide enough clean energy to replace the oil, gas and coal being used by 2050.
- Provide enough jobs at a middle class salary level to cover world unemployment for those with the proper education by 2050.
- Provide enough alternative retirement options to relieve the current retirement funds by 2050 and make them solvent.
- Provide enough safe drinking water to ensure all nations can have a safe supply, as well as supply specialty foods to augment the existing food supply.
Also, calculations show that the sixth problem can be overcome with a combination of a SEMAN and a momentum exchange booster that can provide a cheap means to achieve orbit, and thus provide a practical means to escape earth and colonize space.
The prototype SEMAN is currently under construction using simple, inexpensive construction techniques, and is about 95% complete (pay $7 to see progress on this site).
Conclusions
Our civilization is facing five major problems that threaten to disrupt our future progress, but there is a technology under development that appears to have the capability to solve most of these problems by 2050. This technology is based on the SEMAN, an ocean vessel designed to:
- Sequester carbon dioxide in the deep ocean.
- Provide clean energy to replace oil, gas and coal.
- Provide new jobs.
- Provide an alternate retirement to relieve the stress on retirement funds.
- Provide an alternate source of safe drinking water and specialty foods.
In addition, it may be that even if these problems are solved, mankind cannot operate under a sustainable system with zero population growth. Mankind may have to both grow and expand, or shrink and die out. But a combination of the SEMAN and new momentum exchange booster may provide a cheap, practical means for mankind to escape earth and colonize space.
How this is done is summarized in six papers (ap1 through ap6). These papers will be given on this site in the first six months of 2013. The details of the primary technology (ocean based vessels that harvest energy) are given on the Internet site Aquater2050.com, and can be seen for a $7 membership fee.
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