Human culture is at an important juncture

by Zvi Baranoff

Human culture is at an important juncture. Since the beginning of the industrial revolution – and over the last 100 years of so in particular – we have generated and used more and more energy, primarily petroleum.

This has allowed us to make some incredible things happen for us in a historically speaking very short time. For better or worse, this can’t go on forever. While experts may disagree on the details – when our oil supplies run out, the effects of oil consumption in regards of potential global warming – there is no doubt that continued dependence on petro-chemicals is unsustainable. Frankly, it probably can’t go on much longer and certainly shouldn’t.

So while on the one hand we grapple with the issues of how to feed, house and educate every human on Planet Earth, we must simultaneously grapple with the reality that the strategies we have used until now are not going to carry us forward. We need a new approach.

True wealth – sustainable wealth – is the energy of the sun and the fertility of the Earth. The sun shines eternally but the Earth must be nourished to maintain its fertility. We can’t continue to take out more than we put back. We must reverse that trend.

We have today the tools, expertise and growing collective willpower to end poverty, resolve our environmental challenges and transform our culture to one that satisfies everyone’s needs.

There has been some tremendously creative work accomplished over recent years by forward thinking people worldwide. We have learned to build homes that consume no energy and live off the land in a way that actually enriches rather than depletes resources.

When we develop programs to assist the world’s poorest citizens become truly independent we are making great strides for the whole of humanity and not just the individuals immediately concerned. Each community can strive to reach the point of supplying their own needs through successfully managed organic gardens, rooftop water harvesting and solar and wind electric generation. 

With access to the world of ideas as well as global markets through the internet even the remotest village or hamlet can now be on the one hand independent and on the other hand be well connected. By having access to the tools of communication, education and connectivity we can now share and learn from each other across boundaries that once were insurmountable.

With the growing economic and ecological security, matters of public health will certainly improve as well. Much illness in our most desperate communities is the direct result of malnutrition. Insufficient food makes one increasingly susceptible to disease. Additionally, extreme poverty leads to conditions were even the simplest preventative measures are unaffordable and inexpensive treatments are beyond reach.

We must create the conditions where food, shelter, basic medical care, educational opportunities and access to the creative sharing power of the world community are available to each of us. By making this possible, the whole world is enriched. A happier, more secure, healthier vibrant human culture profits us all. This is now within our reach.