Activist Dan Bloom considers himself an “accidental student of James Lovelock” who raises awareness of global environmental and climate change issues. James Lovelock introduced the world to his “Gaia” theory, where the planet is considered to be a single and massive superorganism. Every action and event that occurs on Earth, whether natural or human-initiated, has a direct effect on the overall health of the planet. This radical theory receives a lot of attention. As with nearly all theories, Gaia is applauded by believers and condemned by naysayers.
As a student of Lovelock, Bloom published an ebook and companion video lecture narration titled Be Resourceful, Protect the Earth: A Virtual Graduation Speech to the Class of 2099. The brief works address Tufts University and all other Classes of 2099 to reflect on the global environmental issues of the first one hundred years of the twentieth-first century. The commencement speech builds on the Gaia theory while incorporating contemporary ideologies to address and revisit human activities and inactivates that threaten the planet.
Will poor environmental ethics, global warming, and climate change result in mass migrations to settle in other regions of the planet?
Will Climate Change Cause Mass Migrations to the Polar Regions?
Over next 200-300 hundred years, if the equatorial and temperate zones on Earth become unbearable places to live because of global warming and climate change, how will the human population cope with the rising temperatures?
It is predicted that the polar regions will be similar to the current temperate and semi-tropical areas of the world. One proposed solution is for the human population to migrate to the polar areas to establish subterranean settlements and bustling cities shielded from the natural elements.
Technically speaking, this is an ingenious solution to create human habitats in otherwise extremely hostile, unforgiving, and isolated environments. Humans will be completely encapsulated in climate controlled facilities with nearly all the modern conveniences required for basic survival and some extraneous pleasures.
A problem does arise from this proposal…settlement size limitations. Currently, the global population has swelled to over seven billion human inhabitants. Most of these people are compressed into large metropolitan areas and confined to high density housing and suburban sprawl. In about 200-300 years, the global population will be much greater than it is now. The polar cities will have a finite carrying capacity, where an occupancy limit will have to be established, which is linked many problems.
Ethical, Moral, and Practical Dilemmas of the Proposed Polar Cities
Who has the power and authority to decide the polar city occupants? Who is to say one person has more “value” than another? Does any human have the ability, authority, capacity, or right to determine who can add value to the polar enclaves? This situation becomes and ethical and moral issue for anyone to determine who is worthy to be selected for sanctuary and salvation.
Another issue is the psychological factors. Who will be able to spend nearly their entire life in a completely artificial habitat? Exposure to the natural world would be extremely limited or non-existent.
Human cultural factors, such as language, politics, and religion, will need to be addressed.
How will raw materials be obtained for manufacturing basic and utilitarian items? Will everything be recyclable and processed onsite?
Will the polar enclave inhabitants be chosen randomly in a global lottery? If so, families will be torn apart forever.
Will the financiers of the settlements be the only occupants in the essentially sterile subterranean tomb cities?
How will the subterranean cites be secured and protected from internal and external disruptions and threats?
The Human Condition
Contemporary humans are generally and inherently filthy wasteful organisms with little, if any, regard for other organisms or the environment.
If there is a population shift to the remote polar regions, eventually, they will become contaminated and polluted. Before we can even consider such a grand vision to migrate to the poles to establish settlements and cities, we must learn how to be more cognizant of our actions and become responsible global citizens, however unlikely.
Despite our best intentions, nearly everyone on the planet has their own personal and self-serving interests. Altruism and environmentalism goes to the wayside when we race headlong into fulfilling our every desire with little regard for the negative consequences.
Technology Exceeds Common Sense
Humans have ability to create impressive technological devices. But, sometimes technology exceeds common sense and our ability to function as cohesive and global society.
Humans have developed infinite devices and technologies to both save and destroy each other. Ideologies unite and separate the human population in to polarized colonies.
If global warming and climate change follows the aforementioned path and humans inhabit massive subterranean polar bunkers, it is highly likely that the settlements would not remain or ever be utopian enclaves.
Humans with differing ideologies simply do not have the ability to coexist in an open environment. The encapsulated environments of Polar Cities will amplify the inability for humans to function as a productive and successful society.
Sources
- Biba, Paul. “Dan Bloom Publishes His First ebook" February 3, 2011. Accessed 19 JAN 2012
- Bloom, Dan. “A Graduation Speech to the "Class of 2099" on Climate Change and Tightening the Noose around Coal”. Video. Accessed 20 JAN 2012
- Bloom, Dan. “A Virtual Graduation Speech to the Tufts Class of 2099”. Speech Text. email Correspondence. 20 JAN 2012
- James Lovelock Accessed 20 JAN 2012
- Say It In 17 Words. Blog. Accessed 22 JAN 2012.
- Wertheimer, B. V. “Daniel Bloom's "Be Resourceful, Protect the Earth" eBook single released by Sunbury Press". Press Release Distribution. Feb 2, 2011. Accessed 19 JAN 2012
Mike Brandolino - Mike is a Research Biologist and Environmental Professional. His writing topic interests are wide and varied.
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