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The Forum > Article Comments > Who’d have believed it? Engineers advocating non-technical solutions > Comments

Who’d have believed it? Engineers advocating non-technical solutions : Comments

By Eric Claus, published 9/8/2005

Eric Claus argues engineers are finally thinking in terms of sustainable non-technical solutions to technical problems.

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Eric,
I think our kids are doomed. The inevitability of that is only due to intrangisent economists, and of enabling community support for it. It proceeds apparently on the premise that there is no hope, so we may as well make merry while we can, and to hell with future generations.
Things need not be that way. Hope is offered in the form of change away from everlasting growth, and towards a stable population with a comfortable rather than an increasingly predatory style of consumption. In the absence of any alternative, that approach is worth a go. It is at least travelling in the right direction rather than away from it.
There are hosts of worthwhile projects which will be of great benefit only if we get off the treadmill of growth. Alcohol production for transport has been mentioned, but stand-alone it is hopeless. However, as a combined exercise for additional purposes it could be of considerable benefit. Across the Australian landscape, vegetation might be grown for its production. Grown where it would be beneficial in addressing soil-carbon deficiency, soil acidity, or salinity. Methanol production from it via a process of pyrolisis, enabling lignin as well as cellulose to be converted to that alcohol might very well be a winner: lousy for lacing beverages, but quality fuel. It might soften the landing a bit as cheap oil comes to an end.
Houses no longer designed in "Federation Style" and retro-fit with air-conditioning, but to be genuinely "solar-passive"; also perhaps incorporating photo-voltaic silicon sliver-cells in roofing. Such change would entail a massive re-tooling of frame-assembling factories etc.. But they would save heaps in base-load energy supply.
But, instead, we pour money into production of carbon dioxide production and the dream of burying it. And show no sign of easing off on the economic pressure.
We are doomed, but needlessly so. I wish people would grab at the reasonable approach which does offer hope.
Posted by colinsett, Thursday, 18 August 2005 7:58:23 PM
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Also check out

http://www.actewagl.com.au/default.aspx?loc=/Environment/GreenEnergy.htm

Greenchoice's renewable enrgy prog.
Posted by Steven Gafen, Tuesday, 15 August 2006 11:46:01 PM
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