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Yes. Solving problems for the future generally requires using problematic systems that currently exist.

• yesbut 5y ago
  I wonder where all of these raw materials for all the solar panels and wind turbines is going to come from. Do you think we can replace all of our energy with renewable energy without destroying the remaining natural habitats? I feel like the drive to green energy is only to allow us to continue growth and consumption instead of saving the natural world. It seems short sighted.
  • ZeroGravitas 5y ago
    > Do you think we can replace all of our energy with renewable energy without destroying the remaining natural habitats? Yes. In fact it's pretty much the only way to not destroy those remaining natural habitats so it's good were pursuing it if that's what your worried about.
    • yesbut 5y ago
      How much mountain top removal and mining will we need to do in order to build out all of this green energy? Steel, copper, concrete, rare earths, etc. all require fossil fuels. The green energy systems all require those components. Just take copper for example. How many tonnes of copper are going to be required to outfit all of the wind turbines? Copper isn't renewable. It will require endless mining and extraction to get anything close to the amount of copper we need. I feel like people are ignoring the elephant in the room.
      • ZeroGravitas 5y ago
        > Steel, copper, concrete, rare earths, etc. all require fossil fuels. I'm not sure exactly what you mean by this, but in most ways it could be interpreted, that's not true. Copper doesn't require fossil fuels, and if it did then we'd come up with an alternative.
        • yesbut 5y ago
          How is copper turned into wire? I guess they have litle men to rub the copper with their little hands until the copper is warm enough to spin ibto threads. Little copper Rumplestiltskins.