A new book, Paradise Regained: the Regreening of Earth argues that the solutions to the world’s current environmental crises—including climate change—could be lying far beyond our planet.
“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.
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