He names the following: “replacement population only; total re-use of resources; total elimination of pollution; self-sufficient housing (linked together in energy terms like the Internet); a halt to physical "growth." We will work less, walk more.Weigh less, live more.Impact less, conserve more.Hopefully we will do it in time for our children to thank us.'
All of these are worthy objects, and certainly need more than a passing consideration. Let's look at them one by one.
Replacement population only.
This is already happening in a number of countries in the Western world, where the nuclear family has shrunk from 2.3 to 2 children, in the last few decades. However, there are still countries that are on the increase, in spite of their best efforts. India has grown enormously in population, and is rapidly on the way to becoming a super power.It's already on the way to outstripping China.And in some countries where population is on the decline, there is the possibility of those people being swallowed by other countries completely.Bulgaria is on the path to losing 38% of its population, for instance.
The US, in spite of most families having fewer children, is still likely to increase to over 400 million by the middle of the century.At this point a major rethink of population will have to take place. But it's not in the nature of humans to restrict themselves in such a way.
Total re-use of resources.
In the Western world two generations have grown up not knowing want.They haven't had to suffer deprivation of any sort, and barely know the meaning of good stewardship of their resources.The generation that went through World War II was much more careful in the way it treated the goods it had, but that mentality hasn't filtered through to those living today.
Recycling is spoken of far more than it's actually done, and although there have been major improvements in this area, we have an enormous way to go.Encouraged by marketers to be a "throwaway" society, we've forgotten what it is to put things away for a rainy day.Many people have no sense of the value of recycling at all.In my office, one of the managers is instituting a paper recycling system.He's being scoffed at behind his back before it's even begun.
Self-sufficient housing.
This also means building houses that are only the size we really need.Non-Americans viewing American films are invariably bemused by the size of the houses. Why would a couple want to live in a house that ten people could live in?Why would a family want to maintain a house that could fit two or three families?
Unfortunately, in terms of self-sufficiency, most of us have forgotten how to do anything except switch on the light, plug in the latest electric item, and carry the garbage to the street kerb.Marketers have made us think that we can do better by eating out, buying stuff that works for us, and doing as little as possible to maintain ourselves.
No wonder many of us are overweight.It isn't just the food we eat; it's the lack of doing things round the house that people have done for centuries.
But are we prepared to live with power that isn't necessarily as constant as we're used to?Are we prepared to heat ourselves in ways that require some physical exertion? Are we prepared to live with generators rather than electrical lines?It no longer seems to be in the nature of humans to restrict themselves in such ways.
A halt to physical "growth".
By this I assume Mr Grimwood means stop expecting to have more, more, more.One of the greatest lies of the age is the idea that there's such a thing as "retail therapy." This is just a phrase disguising that old sin, greed.
All of us can do with less.Most of us never get round to using what we have.We have books in our house that haven't been read, DVDs that haven't been viewed, CDs that have barely been listened to.These are just a tiny number of the things that we expect to have on hand, but may not use.
Most of us have far more clothes than we need. My mother lived with us for years, and we often bought her clothes for her birthday, or Christmas. Many of these clothes were still unused when she died last year. Perhaps we should have put real effort into making something worthwhile for her, with our own hands.
Murray Grimwood is saying all the right things, but the problem is: how many of us are actually listening? And of those who are listening, how many are willing to change their comfortable lifestyle?
We may soon be without personal transport. Supermarkets may offer less choice on their shelves. Businesses by the hundreds may go out of business, and people will be forced to live with less. Do we feel that this is just a doomsday scenario, or are we prepared to pay attention?
