maybe in order to stop fucking over the environment we have to become okay with our current living standards, which are better than nearly everyone else in past history. We're at the peak - but it's never good enough, cause we can't handle the existence of others with more.
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Our current living standards are exceptional; billions of people still need substantial economic growth to lift them up to a decent level. In any case, moving into space will remove the trade off between economic development and the environment.
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Space. Check out they have an episode about the economics of space and the environmental impact it will have.
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There's a lot of economic growth available without increasing resource usage. Think how many 1990s big plastic devices are obsoleted by a cell phone - radio, video camera, phone, small TV, Rolodex. Consumption of many resources is decreasing.
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Wouldn't freezing standards take away a driving motivation to bring higher end technologies afforded by the wealthy - electric cars, solar panels, more efficient and smarter home appliances, etc. - to the masses?
Doesn't seem like a great deal for the have-nots & almost-gots.
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Our current living standards are fucking up the environment. We're a car with the brakes cut going down a hill; there's no stopping this, we can only steer in the right direction.
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recommend 's latest as a counterargument. us per capita carbon footprint has decreased with greater tech advancement and increased living standards. i'd prefer policy solutions that ensure environmental externalities are more accurately reflected in costs.
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Carbon emissions per person have decreased in most developed countries in the last few decades, though. Also, consider how technological development usually enables more miniaturization, esp. In electronics and computing.
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