Feature Future Earth


James Fox

When one considers the fantastic rate of increase in technological development during the last 100 years in contrast with the prior centuries of creeping advancement; logic dictates that some things are destined to happen and others probably will happen.

It is quite evident that the usage of non-replenishable fuels will someday end, not in our lifetimes but eventually hundreds of years from now the supply will be gone. Nucular power is already a problem because of the deadly byproducts. And finally our mobility will be curtailed by the lack of fuel and gridlock because of traffic density.

It is quite evident that if strict population control isn't established eventually the population will exceed the available food supply and we'll start eating each other.

It is also evident that our dwellings will become obsolete because of population density and the power required to provide protection from the environment. Heating, cooling, refrigeration, and lighting uses up that soon-to-be-unavailable power.

Unless our judicial system is changed drastically, our civilized society will become an anarchy. Crime is constantly rising, we have a huge segment of our society locked up in prisons and our lawmakers are writting hundreds of new laws every session. We have thousands of courts, thousands of prisons, thousands of civil servants employed to care for and guard the prisoners and falling farther behind every day. It is idiotic and wrong.

Now I'm not preaching impending doom. I'm talking about the sure outcome maybe in another hundred years or so. I'm thinking that the only way these sure outcomes can be avoided is to start changing now.

I believe we have enough technology now to get started on the world of tomorrow. We need to start a program of decentralization. Build our rural communities underground to free up ground space for growing food. We have computer controlled living quarters that can supply window views of any landscape one might request. subterranian quarters need no heating or cooling. The solar panels above ground would power the computer, light the home and refrigerate the food.

Build the community with the central hub being a manufacturing facility and warehouse. Each home would be a cottage industry and the occupants production would ship to the hub via computerized conveyors and the home owners needs would come from the warehouse. Each hubs finished products would go to the common market and exchanged for their value in requested food and merchandise.

The nation's river flood plains would have to be avacuated and used only for power generation and agriculture. If the populace and all newborns were implanted with a unique identity, and that implant transmitted an identity signal constantly. The persons whereabouts could be pinpointed at any moment in time and in cases of criminal activity the record would be quite clear.

If there was no neccessity to commute to work and no need for money and your home provided your comfort, shelter, entertainment and your neccessities and desires were provided within a reasonable amount of time by just entering your order into a menu on your TV screen, I see no reason to travel, break the law or be unhappy about anything.