I should note that with billions of people focused on pedaling to keep lights and appliances running, we might drastically reduce our production and consumption of unnecessary manufactured goods.
Preparing for change
I grew up with electricity and appliances. I've had a computer for 35 years, Internet access for more than two decades. I do not know how to survive without these things: I depend on unsustainable infrastructure and international supply chains.
If my state has an electric-power outage for several weeks (like Texas had last February)[8]--if our thermostats, stoves, hot water heaters, refrigerators, washing machines, phones and computers stopped working--how would my neighbors and I survive? What tools would we use?
To prepare for power outages, should we take out our grandparents' washboards, hacksaws and canning equipment? Should we build raised beds with insulating covers and dig root sellers? Should we each aim to reduce our consumption (watch your credit card and utility bills) by three percent per month? Or, should we all quit our jobs and start biking?
REFERENCES:
- "Could You Power Your Home with a Bike?" Adam Frank on NPR, December 8, 2016. Click Here
- Click Here
- Needhidasan, S., et al., "Electronic waste-an emerging threat to the environment of urban India," J. Environ Health Sci. Eng., Jan. 20, 2014; Click Here.
- Click Here
- Click Here
- Click Here
- Click Here
- Click Here
Katie Singer writes about the energy, extractions, toxic waste and greenhouse gases involved in manufacturing computers, telecom infrastructure, electric vehicles and other electronic technologies. She believes that if she's not aware that she's part of the problem, then she can't be part of the solution. She dreams that every smartphone user learns about the supply chain of one substance (of 1000+) in a smartphone. Her most recent book is An Electronic Silent Spring. She currently writes about nature, democracy and technology for Wall Street International Magazine. Visit www.OurWeb.tech and www.ElectronicSilentSpring.com.
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