Roza and Margarita Riaikkenen's
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CONTEMPLATING OUR
FUTURE By Roza Riaikkenen Published in the Australian
Theosophical Society Newsletter N91 April2007 The editorial in
the August issue of the ATS newsletter asks us a question: “Do We Have a
Future?” It refers to the books of a British scientist James Lovelock who, due
to pollution and global warming, doesn’t see a future for humanity if we
continue to live on Earth in the same way we are living, thinking and behaving
today. The question is
philosophical, but it turns to be very practical today when decisions ought to
be made on the ways of receiving energy in In the 1970’s the
Russian scientist P.G.Kuznetsov devised a model of a
simple converter, which can be applied to describe any natural or man made
process, for example, the process of receiving energy. He suggested two
criteria for the evaluation of the process: converter’s efficiency and the
factor of contamination. The first criterion – efficiency – is the ratio
between the useful output of the converter (in our case, energy that we
receive) and its input (all the expenses of energy, materials and labour which
provide the functioning of the converter). The second – factor of contamination
- is the ratio between the waste and emissions from the converter and its
useful output. The
higher efficiency and lower contamination the better the converter. In our case, we
can interpret this idea in simple words: the less we take from Earth to receive
the same amount of energy, and the less we contaminate the environment for the
same amount of energy, the more effective and clean our technology. Now, as we have the
criteria, we have the basis for comparison, and our contemplation is getting
more substantiated. For centuries, we used to rely on fossil fuels, which were
extracted from the bowels of the earth and, as it appears now, the emissions in
time resulted in climate change. We are now closely looking at the option of
nuclear power. This again means extracting uranium from the bowels of the earth
and producing radioactive waste with unpredictable consequences for the land
and the sea where it is meant to be stored. Especially, having in mind possible
earthquakes and other natural and man made cataclysms. Even without any
cataclysms, the So, it is difficult
to compare what is more efficient and less contaminating: fossil or nuclear
fuels. And we just contemplated the factor of contamination, when, in fact, we
know nothing about the possible misbalancing effect which may eventuate for our
continent from the extraction of a big mass of uranium from the bowels of the
earth. Have we anything
else to choose from? It appears that we have. We have a whole range of energy
sources which we don’t have to extract from the earth and which produce no
contamination at all! The so called renewable energy of sun, wind, waves – we
have abundance of it, an endless unlimited amount. In fact, we already
have an acting nuclear reactor of the Sun at our disposal. Compared to what we
can build on Earth, this reactor doesn’t take anything from us. The Sun is just
generously giving us as much energy as we can accept. Taking solar energy into consideration – let
us imagine for a moment that we invested in covering roofs with solar cells and
transforming solar energy into electricity. Then everyone has a safe permanent source
of energy. No blackouts, no catastrophes, no dependence on a far away source!
Quite the reverse – the remaining energy can be given away to others, into the
communal stores – we can share it! Australians we will not be the first ones in
the world to do this. Not the first ones, but perhaps having the biggest
uninterrupted supply of solar energy! Why don’t we clap
our hands and hurry to start working in this direction: to invest in new and
improved technologies and building projects based on the renewable energy? It
seems that we are not prepared mentally to accept the fact that the future
which we are asking about will be different from what we are used to now. That
energy can become free and no longer be subject to profits and taxes! That
economy will use criteria based on health and harmony for our planet and every
one of its inhabitants rather than on profit for few and suffering for many! So, the answer to
the question about our future depends on us – on our ability to change, to
accept and adopt new ideas and ways, and to turn these ideas into the practice
of our daily life. |
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