tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2532313388110978122.post9194329702260166661..comments2023-10-28T00:47:18.069-07:00Comments on Weeks Population: Earth Day 2015John Weekshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04069566137451684355noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2532313388110978122.post-64484467710350846182015-04-22T11:14:32.551-07:002015-04-22T11:14:32.551-07:00Prof Weeks - CONGRATULATIONS on your long support ...Prof Weeks - CONGRATULATIONS on your long support of Earth Day! This annual event, should be a daily priority in our lives.<br /><br />Here is an interesting thought. WHAT IF the most positive outcome could happen on Planet Earth? We somehow avoid major wars and loss of life ... and Earth transforms into a stable community with 9 billion people. Roughly the population in the decade 2050-2060. What would that Earth look like?<br /><br />It seems probable that such a place would have very little "pristine" habitat left. Very likely much habitat destruction will have occurred, because non-renewable resources (forests, lakes, streams) will have been depleted in many places. Not all places, but many of them. In effect, the Earth would need to be transformed into a Giant Farm. The entire surface of the Earth is transformed into human habitations, areas of productive agriculture, and nothing else (with perhaps a few pristine wilderness areas in some countries). In principle, we might have the technology to pull off a transformation like that. The purpose of the changes would be to give EVERY man, woman, and child on the planet - some kind of 'acceptable lifestyle'. This would mean that every human being eats a diet that consists of 'mostly natural food' ... although it may be grown with the assistance of technology, and probably would involve a lot of genetically modified foods. But people could eat! I remain convinced that such an outcome is conceivable ... PROVIDED the entire swath of humanity decides to focus on positive outcomes!! Such a world ... is still a huge challenge to accomplish in 35 years!<br /><br />I'm not entirely "psyched" about such a world. I personally love the wilderness areas, and I'm none too happy to see them disappearing. The number of places on Earth that will remain "truly pristine" ... will be very few. This may be the price we pay - for attempting to get to 9 billion people. <br /><br />But I suspect the TRUE outcome for Planet Earth ... is not nearly as simple, or as optimistic, as what I have described. <br /><br />Pete, Redondo Beach, CAAnonymousnoreply@blogger.com