Environmentalism, Technology and True Progress

There are many people who see environmentalism as irrational. In fact it is highly rational. Man has not created nature, and he cannot at this time re-create nature. Which means that he needs to exercise discretion and responsibility in dealing with the environment and ensure that his economic activities are as least as possible destructive to nature.

I am not against technology, and I am not against business. Both are very important pursuits. I am against wrong uses of technology and I am against brainless business practices. Burning down the Amazonian rainforest in order to create a ranch that lasts for two years and then becomes a wasteland is brainless. And business, technology and the civilization are insulted when they are used as justification for such brainless practices.

Burning down the rainforest is not progress; wastefully burning coal or oil is not progress. Essential toward progress is the constructive use of intelligence. Technologies such as solar and hydrogen are much more intelligent than oil and coal. They are more brain-intensive and less resource-intensive. Which means that progress means moving toward these technologies.

Viable human life demands both nature and civilization; which means that both must be in the best shape that they can possibly be. This is not “having one's cake and eating it too”; this is intelligence. The mind has always been the true saving grace of humanity. And in applying it toward creating smarter technologies is realized true technological and economic progress.

Is this socialism? No. Intelligent energy technologies can be put into place just as effectively by private business as it can be by government. The biggest problem facing it has been relentless opposition by the oil companies. The oil companies are simply not thinking straight. Oil is a resource with a vast amount of uses, such as in creating plastics and pharmaceuticals. The more oil is used for such things, and the less oil is burned, the greater profit is realized and the more money is made in the long run.

There is no contradiction between environmentalism and economic and technological progress. True intelligence will support both. The economic needs of humanity can be met in a way that leaves a vibrant environment for future generations.

It is toward that effect that economic and technological endeavors in humanity must be moved at this time.