|
About | Contact | Mongabay on Facebook | Mongabay on Twitter | Free newsletter |
|
|
Could space technology save our planet? Jeremy Hance mongabay.com January 06, 2010 "As a scientist and an advocate for space development, I believe that those that are in the environmental movement and space advocates should be working together to help preserve life on Earth," says co-author Les Johnson in a You Tube video introducing the book. Johnson, along with co-authors Gregory Matloff and C. Bangs, argue that space technology could be the key to overcoming large-scale environmental problems and resource shortages. "If we want to have a prosperous, technological future for six to ten billion people on the planet, then as important as recycling, reusing, and increased efficiency are they won't get us to the point where we can do that without irreversible damage to the plant," explains Johnson. The book recommends such bold initiatives as building solar power plants in space to harness the energy of the sun, mining asteroids for resources, building a fusion reactor using Helium 3 extracted from the moon, and using satellites to monitor the Earth's environment. "We can start planning now to use the technologies of space to go get the infinite resources of the solar system from the asteroids, to get power from the sun, to use the unique vantage point of space to monitor the environment and monitor the globe […] and make a better future for all of humanity and not just those of us who are privileged to live in the advanced world," Johnson says. Les Johnson talking about his new book Paradise Regained: the Regreening of Earth. Related articles To avoid extinction humans must colonize space says Hawking (11/30/2006) As he was awarded the most prestigious prize in science, British theoretical physicist Stephen Hawking said that humans need to colonize outer space in order avoid extinction. Hawking, who was presented Thursday with the Copley medal from Britain's Royal Society, told BBC Radio that humanity faces extinction if it confines itself to Earth. NASA no longer seeks to 'understand and protect' Earth (07/22/2006) The New York Times reports that NASA no longer seeks to 'understand and protect' Earth according to its mission statement. The Times found that the American space agency modified its mission statement in early February 2006, deleting the phrase 'to understand and protect our home planet'.
Tags: technology energy bold and dangerous ideas that may save the world strange Space alternative energy jeremy hance green environment Satellite Imagery climate change clean energy cleantech environmental activism global warming mitigation green energy population renewable energy sustainability sustainable development Environmental news index | RSS | News Feed | Twitter | Home Advertisements:
|
|
|
DON'T LIKE ADS? Become a mongabay supporter WEEKLY NEWSLETTER RECENT FEATURES
POPULAR PAGES Photos
CALENDARS 
BOOKS BY MONGABAY AUTHORS
FREE WEEKLY NEWSLETTER 
HIGH RESOLUTION PHOTOS / PRINTS 
|
| | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Copyright mongabay 2010 Carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions generated from mongabay.com operations (server, data transfer, travel) are mitigated through an association with Anthrotect, an organization working with Afro-indigenous and Embera communities to protect forests in Colombia's Darien region. Anthrotect is protecting the habitat of mongabay's mascot: the scale-crested pygmy tyrant. |
