How many earths do you need to sustain you?

Question

I was at a sustainability conference last week. One of the presenters said that we need 4 earths for our current lifestyles to continue in a sustainable fashion.

(Sustainability - Development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.)

In other words, our current lifestyles are not sustainable, and our kids are going to pay the price.

Forget everything about global warming, pollution, SUV's, politicians, and carbon footprints. Does the very fact that we are not leaving this world in any condition to support our children and grandchildren mean anything to you? If so, what? If not, why not?

Just curious :-)

P.S. Sorry I can't give a reference for the scientist's quote - she didn't say where that data was published.

Answer 1

right.

we should all just go and live underground and in forests and underwater and try survival techniques to stay alive.

a nice change of pace.

*said sarcastically*

its not my problem its theirs

Also i blame everyone else

i know im being cynical but its the way i think

Answer 2

these future kids are a real pain, they are not even here yet and you people are trying to save them

Answer 3

I agree, been thinking the same thing myself. The fact that there's all this debate at all just goes to show that people don't WANT to do anything.

And it also proves that, despite all this "protect our precious children and don't abort our precious little babies" talk, people don't actually give two thoughts about their kids

Answer 4

I only need 2, mine and yours.  You unfortunately are probably out of luck.

Answer 5

Thankfully humans have the ability to not only predict the future (yes, that's sarcasm), but change their actions to accommodate such predictions (that's irony)...

You may have noticed, changes have been brought about much more suddenly over the past two years then over the past twenty previously (that's honesty)

.

In 2003 only eccentric celebrities owned something as strange as a 'hybrid' car. Today middle class families are rushing to dump their SUV's and grab a hybrid. And car companies have almost stopped producing the minivan entirely.

The 'Green' idea is only in it's infancy, and it's growing fast. I truly believe that we will turn this around, by choice or by force.

Answer 6

I completely see the problem and feel your pain. Not only are we destroying are planet but we just leave more problems for our kids(like you said). There is only one real soution to this humans need to kind of reverse there ways. first we need to get rid of cars and tecnology items. Im not saying tecnologys bad or anything because it has helped millions of people such as medicines hospital machines, emergencies. but what im saying is to get rid of useless video games and tv and other things like that.

humans as a whole has to use things in a safe way and therfore go back to more living off the land. im not saying living in teepess and hunting put become a more consevative society. people could live on there own using solar and wind power. they could grow gardens, fish, and raise animals. it would be a great sacrifice but in the end it would help save the enviorment. but the great thing would be is that we could still have tecnology for science, medical, and emergencies.

Bottom line: Human beings need to change as a whole or else we will fall.

here are videos of les stroud( survivorman) and what i plan to do.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wg7EaLIJr... (1)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cZCrP2K5I... (2)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=elpPtuj4g...

if you wanna see more go to youtube.

Answer 7

when i die, i die.  let my kids deal with it.  i won't be around to see it.