Re: [asa] A Sustainable Future and Exponential growth

There are parts of Africa where a well can be readily sunk. However, this
is not every place in Africa, and the Sahel is steadily expanding.
Additionally, local agriculture depends, for the most part, on local
rains, and there are periodic droughts. Right now there are strong
indications that global warming will disrupt current water supplies. And
I'd like you to explain to Israelies and Jordanians that all they have to
do is drill a well.

Yes, there are supplies of food in other parts of the world, but there is
a problem getting it to the places of need in a timely fashion, even
where there is good will. Now try Somalia and Myanmar.
Dave (ASA)

On Sun, 18 May 2008 20:52:44 -0400 "David Opderbeck"
<dopderbeck@gmail.com> writes:
Ken said: Our current food and economic systems are being pushed to
their limits to provide adequate food materials for 6.5 billion people.

I respond: I think you're fundamentally wrong on this, Ken. We produce
more than enough food to feed the world right now. In the U.S. alone, we
throw away about 96 billion pounds of food each year (see:
http://www.boingboing.net/2008/05/18/us-wastes-27-of-food.html) And
regulated market economies are not zero sum games -- more demand results
in more supply which produces more jobs, though things like negative
externalites and social safety nets have to be carefully regulated.

The basic problem is not the technological / physical capabilities re:
food production, nor is it that there are too many people to sustain
markets (the latter is basically impossible). For the most part, the
problems are political, sociological, and not to put too fine a point on
it, sinful. Totalitarian governments don't free people up to become
productive; corrupt officials steal aid; and some
cultural/social/religious structures are oppressive. Mitigate those
problems, and many of the other problems will start to resolve.

As to Dave S.'s point concerning fresh water -- I'd submit that the core
problem here also is not one of capacity. Through World Vision, for
about $1000, you can have a well dug in a third world villiage that will
solve fresh water problems for a hundred people. Where there are genuine
problems with access to wells, they usually could be solved
technologically if the social and political situation would permit it.

None of this is to say that pollution and global warming aren't real
problems that could indeed impact capacity seriously. But the solution
to such problems is not population control.

(And as to Dave S.'s skepticism about colonies on Mercury -- well, sure,
but Dave W. was talking a billion years from now. My guess is that if
humans are around in our present creation then, we'll be well beyond this
solar system).

-- 
David W. Opderbeck
Associate Professor of Law
Seton Hall University Law School
Gibbons Institute of Law, Science & Technology 
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