Aug 7 2011: Perhaps this conversation posted the wrong question - the question should have been, what ,old abundant materials, can be used in new ways to solve urgent problems with energy, food, water?
Inspiring article on artificial photosynthesis illustrates that. See
"Trees have the answer to everything"
http://www.smh.com.au/environment/energy-smart/trees-have-the-answer-to-everything-20110803-1ibh9.html
Aug 4 2011: Jimmy, thank you - aerogel is indeed very interesting material. What do you think about hard as metal ceramic such as silicon nitride, used by NASA and car industry. See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silicon_nitride
Carbon nanotubes are indeed very interesting. An anecdotal way to illustrate that is the fact they were used to make strongest Damascus steel (secret of which we lost in history). See http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v444/n7117/abs/444286a.html
The applications seem tremedous. But i am still wondering if it is easy and cost effective to produce? The making of carbon nanotubes seems to depend on non-abundant resources and still developing technology.
Jul 29 2011: Ken, i am confused on Cuba fact - based on Reuters 2009 article they only reduced 12 percent overnight, based on measure affecting 90 percent of economy. Still - i agree with core of your argument - when people are under pressure they can do wonderful changes.
So how do we create that sense of urgency about 2050 challenge now with regular citizens and consumers?
Or are we implying that only central planning (cuba-style) measures can help today 2050 challenge?
Jul 25 2011: Eric (Adam), dear discussion colleagues,
Your question on ,planned unplanning, triggers memory of a saying by Japanese poet.
"when you do not know the river, you have to cross the river by touching the stones". For me that means - You discover as you go, and learn from each discovery.
Geoffrey West of Santa Fe ( earlier mentioned by Adam; lectures available via you tube) suggests in one of his lectures that we might want to learn from nature on how to develop ,seemingly, spontaneously the cities we need.
You suggested earlier in conversation, we need to find area for further research with most impact. Intuitively the suggestion of Geoffrey West to try understand optimum design of nature , eg forest, as a blueprint to a city, seems very promising.
Thinking through that metaphore i see that eg trees optimise their structure around resources (water, sunlight). A city design should do that as well. Slums do that.
More thoughts on what we can learn for cities from nature processes on planned unplanning?
May i ask some counterquestions? Is it plausible we are at crossroads - we have technology, but it does not arrive to the people who are now unknowingly building the future megacities?
And does it mean that out of 660 future megacities of 10 million people only few ,winners, like Singapore or Portland, oregon will arise? The ,winners, who will succesfully manage triangle of energy, water and food needs of their citizens.
Or does it mean we should rather envision future of ,smaller but beautiful, towns...66.000 communities of 100.000 people? Can only smaller communities sustainably deliver food, water and energy?
Will winner communities - if i may call them so - be determined by geography, water and fruitfull land access, education, number of interwoven institutions, current economic wealth and high tech knowhow? How does one ensure each community on every continent knows where and how to get access to ingredients to ,best practice, city/town of the future?
My final, most burning question, how to influence the ,slum, leaders in Asia, Latin America, Africa, Arabic and other communities? They - unknowingly - might in fact be the designers of future, most populated, cities? Do we give them an iphone with access to ,best practice, database, how do we somehow just educate them?
Forgive me many questions, i hope to learn from you. Just pick the one you think is most urgent or sensible.
Part of the answer to ensuring ,energy wise cities, might be having a critical number of interwoven institutions, in which cities citizens network with each other and get influenced on what they will do for and with their cities. A simple example could be instituting Facebook/Google plus kind of ,city circles, to exchange ideas on wisening your city.
If the sufficientnnumber of cities people have the right mental frame, they will decide earlier and more wisely on future city design, from their area of expertise.
The idea that having interwoven institutions is critical for economic success is not new. I recommend reading John Kays ,Culture and Prosperity: The Truth About Markets - Why Some Nations Are Rich but Most Remain Poor,.
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A comment on Conversation: Can we replace current materials by abundant lighter alternatives?
Inspiring article on artificial photosynthesis illustrates that. See
"Trees have the answer to everything"
http://www.smh.com.au/environment/energy-smart/trees-have-the-answer-to-everything-20110803-1ibh9.html
A comment on Conversation: Can we replace current materials by abundant lighter alternatives?
A comment on Conversation: Can we replace current materials by abundant lighter alternatives?
Carbon nanotubes are indeed very interesting. An anecdotal way to illustrate that is the fact they were used to make strongest Damascus steel (secret of which we lost in history). See http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v444/n7117/abs/444286a.html
The applications seem tremedous. But i am still wondering if it is easy and cost effective to produce? The making of carbon nanotubes seems to depend on non-abundant resources and still developing technology.
Any other innovations to pay attention to?
A comment on Conversation: Who pays on a first date?
A reply on Conversation: A conversation with Shell: How can we create a future where every city has reliable energy, clean water and enough to eat?
So how do we create that sense of urgency about 2050 challenge now with regular citizens and consumers?
Or are we implying that only central planning (cuba-style) measures can help today 2050 challenge?
A reply on Conversation: A conversation with Shell: How can we create a future where every city has reliable energy, clean water and enough to eat?
Your question on ,planned unplanning, triggers memory of a saying by Japanese poet.
"when you do not know the river, you have to cross the river by touching the stones". For me that means - You discover as you go, and learn from each discovery.
Geoffrey West of Santa Fe ( earlier mentioned by Adam; lectures available via you tube) suggests in one of his lectures that we might want to learn from nature on how to develop ,seemingly, spontaneously the cities we need.
You suggested earlier in conversation, we need to find area for further research with most impact. Intuitively the suggestion of Geoffrey West to try understand optimum design of nature , eg forest, as a blueprint to a city, seems very promising.
Thinking through that metaphore i see that eg trees optimise their structure around resources (water, sunlight). A city design should do that as well. Slums do that.
More thoughts on what we can learn for cities from nature processes on planned unplanning?
A comment on Conversation: A conversation with Shell: How can we create a future where every city has reliable energy, clean water and enough to eat?
May i ask some counterquestions? Is it plausible we are at crossroads - we have technology, but it does not arrive to the people who are now unknowingly building the future megacities?
And does it mean that out of 660 future megacities of 10 million people only few ,winners, like Singapore or Portland, oregon will arise? The ,winners, who will succesfully manage triangle of energy, water and food needs of their citizens.
Or does it mean we should rather envision future of ,smaller but beautiful, towns...66.000 communities of 100.000 people? Can only smaller communities sustainably deliver food, water and energy?
Will winner communities - if i may call them so - be determined by geography, water and fruitfull land access, education, number of interwoven institutions, current economic wealth and high tech knowhow? How does one ensure each community on every continent knows where and how to get access to ingredients to ,best practice, city/town of the future?
My final, most burning question, how to influence the ,slum, leaders in Asia, Latin America, Africa, Arabic and other communities? They - unknowingly - might in fact be the designers of future, most populated, cities? Do we give them an iphone with access to ,best practice, database, how do we somehow just educate them?
Forgive me many questions, i hope to learn from you. Just pick the one you think is most urgent or sensible.
Good dreams to everyone.
A comment on Conversation: A conversation with Shell: How can we create a future where every city has reliable energy, clean water and enough to eat?
Part of the answer to ensuring ,energy wise cities, might be having a critical number of interwoven institutions, in which cities citizens network with each other and get influenced on what they will do for and with their cities. A simple example could be instituting Facebook/Google plus kind of ,city circles, to exchange ideas on wisening your city.
If the sufficientnnumber of cities people have the right mental frame, they will decide earlier and more wisely on future city design, from their area of expertise.
The idea that having interwoven institutions is critical for economic success is not new. I recommend reading John Kays ,Culture and Prosperity: The Truth About Markets - Why Some Nations Are Rich but Most Remain Poor,.