NationStates Jolt Archive

Well let us ask ourselves how we are going to cater for the extra 4 billion people predicted to be living on Earth over the next 96 years. Where will they live? I would hate to see massive cities sprawling across vast stretches of land, but it seems nobody else has a solution to housing everyone!

-DP-

A. We can start building artificial lands over those huge oceans we call...oceans
B. We can live in space
C. Legalize abortion

Though some might call me crazy... I think we will have a colony somewhere in space by then.

A. We can start building artificial lands over those huge oceans we call...oceans
B. We can live in space
C. Legalize abortion

How do we build these "artificial lands"?

Living in space is some time away, if we are talking about many many people.

Abortion is legal.

I say we build cities on the water, like a big permanent ship close to the coast, it can be attached to the bottom of the ocean floor by a big solid beams.

A. We can start building artificial lands over those huge oceans we call...oceans
B. We can live in space
C. Legalize abortion

How do we build these "artificial lands"?

Living in space is some time away, if we are talking about many many people.

Abortion is legal.

Artificial Lands - Well, we get a lot of concrete that's less dense than water...

Space life - Mars is a pretty big place :wink:

I think the short term "solution" is already being activated. Speaking from an Australian perspective there is an increase in availability of meduim and high density housing in the larger cities. Also the rising cost of purchasing land means these types of accommodation become more affordable in comparison. The city in which I live has marked a 30km radius around the city where all urban development will end. hether this is revoked in the future, who knows but it does indicate that high density accommodation will be the direction cities will head.

Space life - Mars is a pretty big place :wink:

It is a nice dream, but Mars is a desolate rock. There is little atmosphere and no trace of minerals, definately no trees - essential resources needed to sustain human life.

Also, we do not have the craft to transport people there.

I would just hate to see Earth look like Coruscant on Star Wars. Cities like Tokyo are already beginning to look similar.

Space life - Mars is a pretty big place :wink:

It is a nice dream, but Mars is a desolate rock. There is little atmosphere and no trace of minerals, definately no trees - essential resources needed to sustain human life.

Also, we do not have the craft to transport people there.

I would just hate to see Earth look like Coruscant on Star Wars. Cities like Tokyo are already beginning to look similar.
well you did say 96 years

and Earth was once a green desolate rock once...till we came and grayed it up!

I would just hate to see Earth look like Coruscant on Star Wars. Cities like Tokyo are already beginning to look similar.

Agreed, but I cannot seeing it tuning out any other way.

I think the short term "solution" is already being activated. Speaking from an Australian perspective there is an increase in availability of meduim and high density housing in the larger cities. Also the rising cost of purchasing land means these types of accommodation become more affordable in comparison. The city in which I live has marked a 30km radius around the city where all urban development will end. hether this is revoked in the future, who knows but it does indicate that high density accommodation will be the direction cities will head.

I do not believe Australia needs to go high-density. There is a lot of land available to live on. Since Australia can support perhaps 80 million people (no more - clutter is unecessary) and with a lot of land easily available, low density development is achievable here.

In other places, high density development will be the only way to go.

No wonder Australia is called "the lucky country" :wink:

there's plenty of space for everyone on earth, with 6 billion people and a land area of ~58 million square miles, the population density is about 100 people per square mile - pretty rural. if you're worried about the suburban sprawl, that's just a bunch of baby boomers trying desparately to act like good parents and trying to shield their impressionable kids' minds from the rigors of city life. There are also random movements to revitalize cities that are more well thought out than the soviet-style block apartment projects that minorities got shoved into in the 60s and 70s.

Putting people somewhere (and making them feel comfortable) isn't as much of a problem, finding fresh water is more the challenge. It's easy to feel exasperated because most people don't appreciate how much we're doing in energy generation, food production and understanding the sociology of cities.

Putting people somewhere (and making them feel comfortable) isn't as much of a problem, finding fresh water is more the challenge. It's easy to feel exasperated because most people don't appreciate how much we're doing in energy generation, food production and understanding the sociology of cities.

Solutions to water, energy and food are available already. It isn't a question of "do we have the technology" but "do we have leaders with vision enough to invest in the new technologies"?

Actually overpopulation is not a problem the worlds population could fit comfortably in Texas.

Actually overpopulation is not a problem the worlds population could fit comfortably in Texas.

I find that hard to believe.

Its true I didnt believe it at first but I did research and I will give you the square footage in a minute.

I say just do what we're doing now...BUILD UP!

in Japan they're already building a skyscraper that will be like a city but in one (very tall) building.

A family of 5 would thus occupy more than 6,085 square feet of living space. Even in Texas, that's a mansion.

Link: http://www.improb.com/teach/lessons2002/people-in-texas.html

A family of 5 would thus occupy more than 6,085 square feet of living space. Even in Texas, that's a mansion.

Link: http://www.improb.com/teach/lessons2002/people-in-texas.html

Wow! I never knew that. Still, that doesn't include infrastructure, municipal structures, farm land etc. But all the same, it does suggest there is really no need to be so urban obessed as we are.

It is a nice dream, but Mars is a desolate rock. There is little atmosphere and no trace of minerals, definately no trees - essential resources needed to sustain human life.

Exactly what do you mean by "no trace of minerals"? You are aware that almost the entire body of the planet is composed of minerals, no?

It is a nice dream, but Mars is a desolate rock. There is little atmosphere and no trace of minerals, definately no trees - essential resources needed to sustain human life.

Exactly what do you mean by "no trace of minerals"? You are aware that almost the entire body of the planet is composed of minerals, no?

Gems, gold, iron ore, bauxite? Since when...

Exactly what do you mean by "no trace of minerals"? You are aware that almost the entire body of the planet is composed of minerals, no?

Gems, gold, iron ore, bauxite? Since when...

Fair enough if you want to use that definition, but it is a rather limited and perverse one. You are aware that Silicon is a mineral? Anyhow -

Iron? somewhere between 9-13% of the surface.

Gold? scientists believe it to be likely.

Gems? there is the acknowledged possibility of diamonds having been created through vulcanism around Olympus Mons.

Bauxite? I'll pass on thet one.

A solution I've been contemplating for some time--an end to modern medicine.

People are living too long, and the sick are being allowed to live and reproduce to make kids who are also going to be sick.

These people are turning the gene pool into a gutter. There is no point to keeping people in comatose states and people who are dreadfully sick and can no longer function as productive members of society alive. It's a waste of every resource there is.

I am not proposing genocide. What I am proposing is to let nature take its course.

Putting people somewhere (and making them feel comfortable) isn't as much of a problem, finding fresh water is more the challenge. It's easy to feel exasperated because most people don't appreciate how much we're doing in energy generation, food production and understanding the sociology of cities.

Solutions to water, energy and food are available already. It isn't a question of "do we have the technology" but "do we have leaders with vision enough to invest in the new technologies"?

It's not a matter of vision, it's a matter of necessity or at least economic viability. If I wanted to develop a new desalinization technology, I would ask little oil-rich nations on the persian gulf for funding, because they need it AND can afford it. The US Fed. also spends billions of dollars on research every year.

Oh, and if we feel like sending rockets to Mars, it's a piece of cake to go an extra 50 million miles into the asteriod belt, which has all the minerals a budding industrialist could dream of. Mars and the Moon are slag compared to metal-rich asteroids. (Bauxite=aluminum ore, by the by)

sounds like a case for soylent green.

Though some might call me crazy... I think we will have a colony somewhere in space by then.

Heh a "colony"perhps but not enough to house four billion people. In the near future Space colonies will be holiday destinations for the super rich and for research

Though some might call me crazy... I think we will have a colony somewhere in space by then.

Heh a "colony"perhps but not enough to house four billion people. In the near future Space colonies will be holiday destinations for the super rich and for research

Funny you say that...Yesterday the first corporate voyage into space occured. Soon we will have private companies whisking rich and famous people into orbiting space resorts.

Reminds me of Fhloston Paradise (sp) in The Fifth Element.

I wonder if the earth will have 4 billion extra people in 96 years. For all we know, a new bubonic plague (or something similar) could erupt and wipe out half of civilisation. I don't think the earth will become too overpopulated without nature setting herself to rights and "solving" the problem. If not some disease, then a nuclear war.

A solution I've been contemplating for some time--an end to modern medicine.

People are living too long, and the sick are being allowed to live and reproduce to make kids who are also going to be sick.

These people are turning the gene pool into a gutter. There is no point to keeping people in comatose states and people who are dreadfully sick and can no longer function as productive members of society alive. It's a waste of every resource there is.

I am not proposing genocide. What I am proposing is to let nature take its course.


Yes! Someone with whom I can finally agree! If not for modern medicine, people wouldn't be suffering from debilitating diseases which prolongs their suffering. I have always believed that diseases were nature's way of pruning the population, human and otherwise.

I have always believed that diseases were nature's way of pruning the population, human and otherwise.

Either tell me how it decides that a population needs pruned or quit personalising nature.

Cities of the future:

Under the sea, under the sea...

A solution I've been contemplating for some time--an end to modern medicine.

People are living too long, and the sick are being allowed to live and reproduce to make kids who are also going to be sick.

These people are turning the gene pool into a gutter. There is no point to keeping people in comatose states and people who are dreadfully sick and can no longer function as productive members of society alive. It's a waste of every resource there is.

I am not proposing genocide. What I am proposing is to let nature take its course.


Yes! Someone with whom I can finally agree! If not for modern medicine, people wouldn't be suffering from debilitating diseases which prolongs their suffering. I have always believed that diseases were nature's way of pruning the population, human and otherwise.

So you support the Malthusian principle then.

if humans advance so far(I doubt it with so many civil wars) cities will use the mighty power of a black hole as a source of energy

It is a nice dream, but Mars is a desolate rock. There is little atmosphere and no trace of minerals, definately no trees - essential resources needed to sustain human life.

Exactly what do you mean by "no trace of minerals"? You are aware that almost the entire body of the planet is composed of minerals, no?

Gems, gold, iron ore, bauxite? Since when...

humans dont need those to live

It is a nice dream, but Mars is a desolate rock. There is little atmosphere and no trace of minerals, definately no trees - essential resources needed to sustain human life.

Exactly what do you mean by "no trace of minerals"? You are aware that almost the entire body of the planet is composed of minerals, no?

Gems, gold, iron ore, bauxite? Since when...

humans dont need those to live

The what would we use?

I have always believed that diseases were nature's way of pruning the population, human and otherwise.

Either tell me how it decides that a population needs pruned or quit personalising nature.

Easy. When the population expands so far the the surrounding environment can no longer support it, the population growth either slows or decreases. A population cannot continue to increase in size without the proper resources, and as of now, Earth's resources are limited.

Yes! Someone with whom I can finally agree! If not for modern medicine, people wouldn't be suffering from debilitating diseases which prolongs their suffering. I have always believed that diseases were nature's way of pruning the population, human and otherwise.

So you support the Malthusian principle then.

Yes, but only where I can fit it into my personal ideology.

in Japan they're already building a skyscraper that will be like a city but in one (very tall) building.

Its called an Archology. It will probally be most governments preferred solution, but instaed of buliding up (ugly), I'd build down (underground).

Space life - Mars is a pretty big place :wink:

I'd rather we build space colonies - resources dont need to travel as far and we could create a controlled environment there.

Unfortunately, while we can build spaceships aluminum-can thin, if the same could be done for a space colony, terrorists might try something

Whether or not Technocracy pans out, urbanates (http://technocracy.ca/simp/urbanates.htm) are quite likely going to be the future. You have to keep in mind that today, though cities are overcrowded, there are vast stretches of unused land. All you really need is a big pipe of water to turn a desert into a habitable place. Urbanates would replace most big cities, small towns and rural areas, allowing people to comfortably live in an equal distribution around the country/world without damaging the evironment.

Here's this guys plan...... (http://www.freedomship.com/)though I have to say that I think of it as batshit insane. Thats just me.

Then there's this guy, (http://www.sealandgov.com/) though he's more of a data haven kinda guy.