"There is one thing I DO know for certain, and that is sustainability and cleanliness is an achievable dream."
Not only is it that - much of it is also not even a dream anymore.
At least Sweden, Denmark and Germany - all wealthy, prosperous countries - have actually lowered their total national emission of carbon (instead of just lowered their rate of increase in carbon emissions). And this despite growing populations and growing economies.
So it can be done without hurting the economy.
Germany recycles 65% of all their waste. Sweden and Norway both recycle about 50%, but they are also both importing waste from other countries to burn for heating homes and produce energy as their domestic "production" isn't big enough. Only 1% of Sweden's waste end up on landfills.
The European Union has banned old fashioned light bulbs and instead moved to more energy efficient light sources like LED's - and if Wikipedia is right so has Canada, Australia, China and other countries.
And much, much more of course - this was just a few things I came to think of now.
And all of this would have seemed impossible only a decade or two ago.
But it's not - parts of the world is already doing much of it.
We don't all have to invent the wheel here - we're all in the same boat on this planet in that we all need it to survive - so we should all learn from each other and do what works.
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@longtail4711
"There is one thing I DO know for certain, and that is sustainability and cleanliness is an achievable dream."
Not only is it that - much of it is also not even a dream anymore.
At least Sweden, Denmark and Germany - all wealthy, prosperous countries - have actually lowered their total national emission of carbon (instead of just lowered their rate of increase in carbon emissions). And this despite growing populations and growing economies.
So it can be done without hurting the economy.
Germany recycles 65% of all their waste. Sweden and Norway both recycle about 50%, but they are also both importing waste from other countries to burn for heating homes and produce energy as their domestic "production" isn't big enough. Only 1% of Sweden's waste end up on landfills.
The European Union has banned old fashioned light bulbs and instead moved to more energy efficient light sources like LED's - and if Wikipedia is right so has Canada, Australia, China and other countries.
And much, much more of course - this was just a few things I came to think of now.
And all of this would have seemed impossible only a decade or two ago.
But it's not - parts of the world is already doing much of it.
We don't all have to invent the wheel here - we're all in the same boat on this planet in that we all need it to survive - so we should all learn from each other and do what works.