84 online
 
Most Popular Choices
Share on Facebook 44 Printer Friendly Page More Sharing Summarizing
OpEdNews Op Eds   

A Global Clarion Call to Bold Action;

By       (Page 1 of 3 pages)   5 comments

Michael Richards
Message Michael Richards
Become a Fan
  (4 fans)
"The Earth provides plenty for every man's Need.
The Earth cannot provide enough for man's Greed." -Mahatma Gandhi
Fear is the breeding ground for fascism. In our present time of an impending energy and food crisis, there are groups all around the world that are discussing "peak oil"/die off. We must prove that such fear based thinking is not right! Such talk only provides the "justification" for totalitarian states to engage in a deadly and disastrous global "triage", through mass starvation and genocide. The real "moral majority" of the human race must stand up and say "Hell No!"...
Let's work together to build sustainable operating systems. We can build efficient systems that will meet the needs for our entire species to survive and thrive.
It's time to build a Global Intelligence Force to mobilize for urgent action.
I issue a challenge;
Let's gather the team of Global Change Agents...
Its time for a Great Global Mobilization for Humanity to Organize, Survive and Thrive.
Throughout the first phase of the history our species, we have operated with the assumption that there has never been enough to go around for everyone. Throughout all of recorded human history we have existed within a system based on scarcity. The perceived problem was: who gets what? Who survives and who dies? Every society has had a different system for deciding that unfair question. Survival has been decided through violence by tribal battles or global war during the entire Human Story! I demand a New Story.

We need to redefine the human problem; Rather than deciding how to cut up the scarcity pie, we need to bake a much bigger prosperity pie. To quote my brother, O.T., such a pie will be "LUSCIOUS!"

How can we create the intelligent systems where everyone gets what they need? By redefining the problem, we can create a new solution; we can now use our collective intelligence to devise a new engineering equation.

Humanity now has enough knowledge to be able to invent our way into a future of plenty. We simply have not been aware of the fact that we now have the possibility of prosperity for all. This will bring global peace.

According to engineers, the world's industrial system is now operating at only about four percent efficiency, but scientists have calculated that this can easily be improved to an average of twelve percent. In other words, all we have to do is start using already existing technology and stop being so damn wasteful!

We waste 90% of all energy; We use 50% of all gasoline within 3 miles of our own homes as we drive in circles in poorly designed communities to work, shop, learn and recreate. We have designed our towns and cities around the car, rather than around the people! We can design and build efficient communities where we walk and bike to all of these daily activities, and minimize long range transport for real necessity. Our present homes and buildings burn 40% of all energy! We can build efficient zero net energy use buildings. Such technology is already available and in use in places such as Abundance EcoVillage in Iowa. We can put the 90% of our energy that is wasted into action to produce enough for everyone.

Since engineers have calculated that the world's industrial systems for production of food, goods, transportation and services are now operating at only about four percent efficiency. This can be easily increased to an average of twelve percent efficiency.

Four billion people are already "making it" now with our present inefficient systems. Two billion are either not making it or living at very high risk.

3 x 4 billion =12 billion people that can "make it and thrive" with a threefold increase in efficiency.

The only missing ingredient is the "will to act".

Engineering efficiency could probably be raised much higher. It is better to understate than overstate a goal.

We need to ask how we can we raise engineering efficiency in our human operating systems and then create a concrete plan of action. How can we produce more energy, stop wasting energy, use less materials, & use less human time and labor to provide for our basic needs?

Since energy drives all human activity, we need to produce plenty of renewable energy. With plenty of energy, we can then produce plenty of food, decent inexpensive housing for every family, preventive health care, effective medical care, reality based education, efficient transportation and global communication systems.

We have the technology. We are only missing leadership. Our present global leaders are asleep at the wheel, heading down the wrong road.

If you "get this message" then you are part of the global leadership team for the new paradigm of prosperity. If not us, then who? If not now, then when?

Presently available technology provides for at least a dozen modes of renewable sources of energy.

We also now have the know-how to connect together all the world's electrical generating plants onto an efficient and integrated global grid. That one global project would almost double the amount of energy available in the world. Right now most generating plants run at about half capacity & use the other half for peak demand only. By interconnecting these systems every plant can swap power (especially between the light & dark sides of the earth) and therefore be run at almost peak capacity most of the time --without building any new generating plants.

Next Page  1  |  2  |  3

(Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher).

Rate It | View Ratings

Michael Richards Social Media Pages: Facebook page url on login Profile not filled in       Twitter page url on login Profile not filled in       Linkedin page url on login Profile not filled in       Instagram page url on login Profile not filled in

Michael Richards is a life long innovator, entrepreneur and author. His most recent book is; SUSTAINABLE OPERATING SYSTEMS/The Post Petrol Paradigm (available on line at; www.amazon.com Mr. Richards has presented as an author, speaker and (more...)
 
Go To Commenting
The views expressed herein are the sole responsibility of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of this website or its editors.
Writers Guidelines

 
Contact AuthorContact Author Contact EditorContact Editor Author PageView Authors' Articles
Support OpEdNews

OpEdNews depends upon can't survive without your help.

If you value this article and the work of OpEdNews, please either Donate or Purchase a premium membership.

STAY IN THE KNOW
If you've enjoyed this, sign up for our daily or weekly newsletter to get lots of great progressive content.
Daily Weekly     OpEd News Newsletter
Name
Email
   (Opens new browser window)
 

Most Popular Articles by this Author:     (View All Most Popular Articles by this Author)

Bully Nation

Channeling Citizen Solidarity into Productive Channels of Action

A Biofuel Reality Check; A Sane Voice from Iowa Farm Country

The Killing of Small Town America

Creating New Systems to Replace Dysfunctional Systems

A Reality Check; The Majority of the 99% are entrenched in the Status Quo

To View Comments or Join the Conversation:

Tell A Friend