global warming is not the problem..

and technology is not the answer.

Global warming is but one symptom of humans destroying their habitat. There are many other, equally disturbing conditions. Trash is building up, fisheries are disappearing, pollution is destroying water supplies, the list is endless. All these are due to one thing and one thing only, too many humans using too many resources too quickly. We are overgrowing our fish bowl.

The answer to these problems is quite simple: we need to cut back. We don't need new green technology, and we certainly don't need people trashing good stuff just to buy new energy efficient gadgets. We need people to stop buying new things all the time.

That will mean our economy will contract. But that is a positive thing. There will be some pain of course, but it will be much less than the pain we will inflict upon ourselves if we keep going the way we are now. Driven by out-of-control consumerism.

Consumerism has several origins. As any species, we are opportunistic. When we have plenty we quickly expand to use it all. We expand by generating more offspring, but also by increasing our individual consumption. That is all fine but we are setting ourselves up for massive losses at a later time. No species can keep growing at the rate we are.

Spending is also deeply ingrained in our brains. It is key to reproductive success. It is "sexy" as some might say. Males spend to impress females. Females choose males who have plenty as that will enhance the chances for their offspring. Both sexes are involved in a never ending quest to consume more. Nobody is keeping an eye on the future.

Unfortunately, we are on a runaway course. We have very few enemies and nothing significant to trim our numbers, other than massive disasters. And massive disasters are in our future if we keep going. 

What form those disasters will take is anyone's guess. But they will surely happen and they will be of enormous magnitude. Just like housing prices can't keep going up forever, or the Dow can't stay on its hockey stick curve, human populations will not be able to keep up their present expansion. Serious and devastating cutbacks will happen. 

Unless we use our brains and voluntarily cut back. Don't count on it though!