Green Technology

Modern man, the pinnacle of human evolution, is destroying our world. I heard my grandfather once use a friendly warning to a friend about Sh*tting too close to the backdoor in a conversation. I was young and only understood the literal translation, but it is sound advice any way it is interpreted. Our planet is a closed-loop system nothing leaves. We are gorging our landfills to their limits with our consumer-crazed, throw-away lifestyle, polluting our groundwater with decades of toxic seepage, and subjecting our surface water supplies to steadily increasing levels of recreational and commercial vessel discharges, waste and spills, pesticide runoff, acid rain, toxic factory discharges, and God only knows what else. Our life-sustaining atmosphere is primarily, a delicate balance of non-combustible nitrogen, plant-nurturing carbon-dioxide, radiation-reducing inert gases, and my personal favorite, oxygen. However, we seem intent on creating our own deadly formula reminiscent of the Mad Scientist by altering, adding, and depleting as we choose. These ecosystems required eons to create their life-giving balance, yet we are contaminating and depleting these precious resources at an alarming rate, refusing to accept responsibility for not only endangering future generations quality of life, but possibly life itself. Furthermore, we are not only content to spoil our planet, but are now intent upon creating a low-orbit junk yard, as well. When is enough, enough? Are we helpless to correct the self-destructive course the last century of progress has projected us?

Prior to the 20th century, humanity had existed in harmony with this planet for a very, very long time. Is it possible for mankind to reap the comforting, lifestyle benefits of modern technology while simultaneously, preserving and protecting our mother Earth, rather than continue to pursue a destructive, gilded existence? In my opinion, with the current consumer-driven mandate for technology development combined with a weak environmental policy and the near-complete absence of consumer demand for green technology, the answer is a resounding, NO. Will the unmanageable social and environmental consequences of a continuously-escalating lifestyle pace of wastefulness and neglect create a cultural meltdown of chaos and destruction with epic proportions? IMHO, quite possibly, YES. Have the last several centuries of human development progressed up our ancestral tree on a dead limb? Unless adequate portions of our global society branches off in a more sustainable direction, I venture to say, "Get out the saw!"

However, perhaps there are alternative approaches to advancing humanity, which are more environmentally harmonious, while achieving relatively, similar degrees of comfort and convenience. Is it necessary for the gains in human lifespan over the last fifty years to be negated before we take notice? Must our children be born with environmentally-induced birth defects? What dire circumstances are demanded before the collective human race affects change? At that point, how much worse would the circumstances become before the turn-around occurred? How many generations will pay the price our wasteful folly will exact? Look at your children, your grandchildren, and ask yourself what they have done to deserve a tainted inheritance. The recent Dickson County incidences are only the proverbial drop in the bucket to whats occurring throughout our nation, and increasingly, around the world. We are the caretakers of mother Earth, the guardians of our essential life-sustaining planet. What have we done?

Im not advocating the dismantling of our modern economic and technological society, quite the contrary. Truthfully though, human nature justifies inaction until there is intolerable pain, by some definition. However, a new paradigm of technology motivated by an environmentally-conscious consumer expectation and demand is critical for our continued existence. I have no doubt that Americas capitalistic free-market forces are unique to accepting the monumental challenge of converting our existing consumer-driven economy and consciousness to a green economy and mindset.

Unfortunately, there must be a market demand for business to gain a foothold. Thats why I suggest legislated tax-incentives for environmental R&D investment, federal loan guarantees, meaningful and sincere environmental reforms, and generously-endowed, public-awareness programs as necessary to create the required economic environment conducive to allowing American entrepreneurs to alter the course of our economy and consumer lifestyle. American business has much to gain by leading the developing world down a greener path. Americas green-technology business sector could replace the defense industrys global exports with more conscionable products while simultaneously, capitalizing on one of our greatest and more exclusive, if not misguided strengths; our desire to create a better world than we inherited. Without taxpayer subsidies for our defense industry, the global competition would cause them to wither and die.

As voters, we have a voice in our government's expenditures. It is OUR money... not the government's. They are only the caretakers and supposedly the Comptroller of the public's will and desire for public investment. Lets face it, any and everybody exports weapons; lets lead the world in conservation research and technology.  The world has always admired the USA, until recently. But it is not too late to set an example for the developing third-world countries that are following our current economic growth model of waste and environmental insensitivity. Without further action, the USA's blunder of the 20th century's economic growth, environmental devastation, and technological advance will not only have impacted our Mother Earth negatively, but will have created a "domino effect" of dire proportions. Exporting green products and concepts which offer environmental solutions could be the economic solution to our unsustainable import trade deficits, which undermine our economy and standard of living.

Otherwise, quite frankly, I am not optimistic about the long-term survivability prospects of our species. And this is one instance, when rich and poor alike will be facing the same fate. Think about it... let your voice be heard. Get involved in yours and your children's future. Please vote!