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"It is when we are discussing the limits of sustainability and growth" We aren't anywhere near the "limits of sustainability and growth". "It might be free in
by Turing_Machine 9y ago
"It is when we are discussing the limits of sustainability and growth"
We aren't anywhere near the "limits of sustainability and growth".
"It might be free in the sense that nobody owns the sun. It's not free in the sense that we have a limitless supply of it."
The sun puts out about 1.2×10^34 joules each year. The Earth's total energy production is about 5x10^20 joules. In other words, the sun puts out 24,000,000,000,000 times our total energy production from all sources.
"Limitless"? No. Effectively limitless for practical purposes? Yes.
"We're on a finite planet, with finite resources, including energy, and an increasing amount of people."
1) We're not limited to one planet.
2) Population growth has slowed or stopped in many countries. The "Soylent Green" fears of the 1970s turned out to be utterly baseless, and there is no evidence that they will ever come to pass.