Zero Footprint: A New Model Linking Energy and Materials

2 Comments

• 
  Darryl A Mann | 07-20-2012

  Interesting article, I have a few questions. OK, I admit that I want a cleaner Earth, but to date technology to do what you are preposing does not truly exist, so how do we get there without going backwards? Second, I understand the impact that it is possible to link to man, but change is what the climate does and the Earth has gone through these cycles since the beginning of time, so what part of this is man and what part is nature? Finally, I don't understand what you mean as 'near-zero' footprint? Solar panels have to be produced and the materials must come from some place. Transport must be developed and built with this new technology, where does that material come from? With Solar making up such a small percentage of our (EARTH's) energy generation, how do we continue our current life styles.
• 
  Info-Tech Research Group | 08-14-2012

  Thank you for your questions about this Predicting the Future article. Please see Mark's replies below that correspond to each one:
  

  Interesting article, I have a few questions. OK, I admit that I want a cleaner Earth, but to date technology to do what you are proposing does not truly exist, so how do we get there without going backwards?

  The whole purpose of Twinning is to avoid having to go backwards economically. Instead of reducing energy consumption, we twin energy generators with material plants.

  Second, I understand the impact that it is possible to link to man, but change is what the climate does and the Earth has gone through these cycles since the beginning of time, so what part of this is man and what part is nature?

  I am not the right person to answer this question, but I feel comfortable saying that a) humans are responsible for the departure from the norm that has been well documented by NASA and the IPCC; and b) the human contribution is rising quickly as a fraction of the whole.

  Finally, I don't understand what you mean as 'near-zero' footprint?

  I mean that we take the CO2 output from coal and gas plants, and use all of it; in that sense, it is a Zero Footprint. Solar panels have to be produced and the materials must come from some place. This is true.

  Transport must be developed and built with this new technology, where does that material come from? With Solar making up such a small percentage of our (EARTH's) energy generation, how do we continue our current life styles?

  The proposal is that all of these things can be made with carbon nanotubes.