3 ms·

I would argue that more technology is going to make our current use of those resources a lot more efficient going forward. Solar panels can mostly remove the ne

I would argue that more technology is going to make our current use of those resources a lot more efficient going forward. Solar panels can mostly remove the need for an electrical grid for most people. Internet via StarLink (soon) will remove the geographical need for that. Roads are non-negotiable, sure, but they're pretty inconsequential. Things like DoorDash and Amazon are going to drastically reduce the number of grocery stores per capita going forward, or at least curb new construction.

bumby 7y ago
No offense intended but this seems very naive to me. It feels very much like the promise of nuclear energy creating “energy too cheap to meter” from 50 years ago. Technology will definitely help but think about it this way: people who live in those dispersed areas will likely be there out of necessity, not choice. How many people in say, rural Appalachia, are currently using Door Dash to regularly get groceries or can rely on solar to be off the grid? Grocery delivery doesn’t help much when you’re over an hour away because it drives up cost and limits the types of goods available. Those solutions already exist from a technological standpoint but they aren’t causing people to move en masse to these locations despite housing shortages elsewhere.
- mod 7y ago
  I live in the ozarks, much like Appalachia. So I can answer those questions at least anecdotally. Door dash: none. Nobody is using it, or am incredibly small number. Solar off grid: a decent amount. It’s certainly doable. It’s easier to be on-grid, though.
  - derrick_jensen 7y ago
    Maybe DoorDash wasn't a good analogy. I volunteered on a CSA in high school (Greater STL area, so fairly close to you), and honestly that model is surprisingly feasible. Supply chains produce a lot of greenhouse gas emissions, and the closer you are to your food production, the better it is for everybody involved.
- derrick_jensen 7y ago
  If we are talking in absolutes, then no it probably won't reach everybody. However, the technology is becoming more and more practical to use, so its including a larger number of people as time goes on. Regardless, its a lot more practical than convincing billions of people to change their standards of living, especially in a country like America.

bumby 7y ago

No offense intended but this seems very naive to me. It feels very much like the promise of nuclear energy creating “energy too cheap to meter” from 50 years ago. Technology will definitely help but think about it this way: people who live in those dispersed areas will likely be there out of necessity, not choice. How many people in say, rural Appalachia, are currently using Door Dash to regularly get groceries or can rely on solar to be off the grid? Grocery delivery doesn’t help much when you’re over an hour away because it drives up cost and limits the types of goods available. Those solutions already exist from a technological standpoint but they aren’t causing people to move en masse to these locations despite housing shortages elsewhere.

mod 7y ago
I live in the ozarks, much like Appalachia. So I can answer those questions at least anecdotally. Door dash: none. Nobody is using it, or am incredibly small number. Solar off grid: a decent amount. It’s certainly doable. It’s easier to be on-grid, though.
- derrick_jensen 7y ago
  Maybe DoorDash wasn't a good analogy. I volunteered on a CSA in high school (Greater STL area, so fairly close to you), and honestly that model is surprisingly feasible. Supply chains produce a lot of greenhouse gas emissions, and the closer you are to your food production, the better it is for everybody involved.
derrick_jensen 7y ago
If we are talking in absolutes, then no it probably won't reach everybody. However, the technology is becoming more and more practical to use, so its including a larger number of people as time goes on. Regardless, its a lot more practical than convincing billions of people to change their standards of living, especially in a country like America.