what's your vision of a sustainable world?

Answer 1

When I first read this question I thought 'what a wonderful question!' Images of a utopian world sprang to mind of communities working together providing for their needs, respecting each other and the environment around them. Living without abuse to man or creature, surviving by natural means - eating only what was available etc. etc.
But then I got to thinking about why we are not living in a sustainable world.
A sustainable world is one that is in balance with its environment. Animals, plants, insects do this naturally. Man has unfortunately moved away from this natural balance.
Man had been moving out of balance for some time - but discovering fossil fuels spurred the imbalance on. By using fossil fuels we were not only using finite resources i.e. resources that could not and would not be replenished - but we were also allowing our cultures to adapt to the seeming affluence of energy. So societies generally were getting better at surviving - living longer and having more children. We were producing more people because the former natural constraints on population had been removed.
In the balanced world all species reproduce according to the availability of food and the hospitality of the environment. By utilising fossil fuels ever more successfully we were able to bypass those constraints.
By using fossil fuels we were lulled into a sense of paradise - that we could use what ever we like, that we could throw away and waste resources ad lib. Those societies in more hospitable climates were able to grow out of proportion to the availability of food or natural / renewable energy. Now, I believe, many richer societies have grown so much that they cannot support themselves with produce from their own country. In the meantime there are other societies that are suffering from lack of water because the water tables can no longer sustain the populace.
If I side-step the issues that have brought us to this state, or ignore the huge change required to become sustainable again I am in danger of romantic utopian ideals of a sustainable world.
How do we get to a sustainable world again? Reduce the population? Revert back to living as it we were a few centuries ago? Discover energy that does not depend upon fossil fuel or nuclear power?
Societies have tried the first option with varying success - and it's a slow process, especially with our older populations growing all the time.
Reverting back to former living standards would be nigh impossible apart from a few die-hards not tempted by modern-world amenities.
There is a possibility that a new power source can be found - quantum physics seems to be leading in that direction. However this has the same problem of lulling us into a false sense of paradise. Renewable energy sources are a definite key to the solution - giving people not only energy that is freely available from nature without pollution, but also giving a sense of satisfaction from being able to support themselves.
I do, however, think that there is a possibility of the human race changing to have respect for its environment again. One which is not so happy to live as a consumer - but more happy to live as a participant, a game player on this planet. This may be a change involving a more spiritual awareness also. Not an immediate answer - it could/would take many years for this to have any effect (barring some huge natural disaster) - but there are signs of change in this direction already.
With this occurring, perhaps we could become a sustainable species again - hopefully not too utopian - I like a bit of a challenge!

Answer 2

A sustainable world cannot be created from a world that is as heavily populated as our world is now. The population density of humans is just too great to be sustainable in terms of earth's resources. That is why we are rapidly depleting the world's resources over the last several decades.

Ideally, a sustainable world would be harmonious, but that doesn't seem possible with people.

Answer 3

Wide use of hydro-electric power generation. No pollution , naturally regenerable electro vehicles and heating.

Answer 4

Earth, in spite of the scaremongers. She has supported human life for a long, long time