by Michael Smith (Veshengro)
Sustainability will have to be solved by a large number of small, 'grassroots', efforts ... each contributing an evolving larger solution for mankind. It cannot be crated on a large scale with specs dictated and enforced from above, form government. The solutions must come from the people.
Sustainability must be brought about though for all and everywhere for we cannot continue to live as we do and have done for the last number of centuries.
Whether we may have already reached Peak Oil and tipped Peak Oil even or whether we may not as yet have done so, is irrelevant to a large extend as we will be, if we have not already, reaching this point soon and then the time will come that we run out of oil.
To continue burning oil in cars, homes, industry and power stations is a huge folly and it must cease. The same is true for coal and that for the same as well as different reasons. Oil is too valuable to be burned while coal is just too dirty; both, however, are running out.
Scientists have warned in the late 1890s that we should not base our economies on fossil fuel, with coal still primarily in the forefront then, and that because of their finite character, as well as regards to pollution. Alas, the powers that be did not heed such warnings.
Uranium for the nuclear option is rather finite as well and that in addition to that there is the problem with the radioactive waste and what to do with it.
In order to make real sustainability reality we not only need to look at renewable energy sources but also and especially at how we use electricity, for instance, and especially at the kind of electricity that we do use, that is to say voltage and type.
Today most of our homes could, basically, be run on 12volt DC and it is easy to generate the needed wattage with wind and photo-voltaics, for instance, for individual homes.
The problem is that our infrastructure is all geared to 110/220/240volt AC and that and the general attitude needs changing.
Electricity must also be generated once again close to where it is being consumed and not hundreds of miles away and the kind of electricity generated needs changing.
Consider lighting in the home and home office, as an example. All could be accomplished with 12volt DC LED lighting, strip or the kind of lights used in automobiles. Laptops and most other such equipment, as well as radios, etc., all can and will work with 12volt DC directly or via slight conversion, mostly downwards – in most cases.
In light of the above, therefore, there is very little need to continue to generate electricity in the voltages of tens and thousands of kilovolts as is being done presently, and also the production of alternate current is so wasteful, and this is especially true as to voltage loss in transmission lines.
Sustainability is something that applies to other aspects too. In fact, every aspect of our lives as individuals and families, as corporate entities and government, etc. must be scrutinized with the lens of sustainability an this includes everything from how we live and where; how we get about; how, where and what we work; how our food is grown, etc. thus analyzing our environmental impact in all aspects.
This is an ongoing process...
© 2010
