Date: Fri, 7 Aug 1998 11:32:17 -0700 (PDT)
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To: PPN@csf.colorado.edu
From: Francis Bartlett <fgbart@nwrain.com>
Subject: Another view
<fontfamily><param>Geneva</param><bigger><bigger>August 7, 1998


<bold><underline><bigger>The Real Problems facing Mankind's future on
Earth.


</bigger></underline></bold>Population Growth and increasing engery
use.


America is the idol of the world, the place where millions want to come
to escape the miseries of their home land and to enjoy the idyllic lfe
styles America brags about so vividly in American Movies and video
tapes. Small wonder America is so wonderful, on a per capaita basis we
use 30 times as much energy as most of the world's population. It is
the use of that energy with its economic backing that provides
Americans with the luxurious life styles they enjoy.=20


The main sources of energy are coal and oil stored in the ground from
decaying plants millions of years ago and when burned produces carbon
dioxide that causes the greenhouse effect. Other sources of energy
world wide pale in comparison to that from fossil fuels. Using that
energy provides food, housing, transportation and all the creature
comforts civilization has developed. Control by the major energy
corporations of oil sources and oil distribution has ensured that the
West has its copious share of fossil fuels regardless of where it comes
from. Nigeria a significant oil producer is still a poor country, Saudi
Arabia and other Near Eastern oil producers look very good but have=20
very small populations easily supported from the oil revenues.=20


The immigration problem for the United States is driven largely by the
desire of foreigners to join in sharing the good things of life so
readily available in this country, a matter that has been going on ever
since the original pioneer settlers came over on the Mayflower and has
continued ever since. To stem this tide is a monstrous undertaking and
tantamount to building high strong wall around our entire land and sea
borders.


This d=00=00=00=00=00=00=05=C4 come to America is a universal human=
 expression of the
desire to have a better life than that suffered by well over half the
present world population. The numbers are in the billions. To aleviate
this situation the poor coiuntries of the world would have to be able
to elevate living conditions in that would better satisfy their people.
A major component of that effort depends on the availability of energy
sources to those populations. Note what is happening in Nigeria and
Venezela both poor countries with large oil deposits.


The aleviation of poor conditions in China where economic growth is
proceeding apace provides a glimpse of how those people desire the
better life. A mere twenty years ago the skyscrapers of Shenzhen and
other new cities near Hong Kong did not even exist. This phenomenon has
only been possible by the relaese of significant energy sources and
obviously the associated economic underpinnings.


It therefor becomes evident that the increasing world population may
not be as much a threst to the future of humanity as the vast desires
of over half the world population to acquire the energy and economic
sources needed to satisfy their dreams of life styles of which America
is the formost example.


Approaching the general problem of increasing human numbers from this
point of view seems much more in line with the overall magnitude of the
problems involved.


=46rancis G. Bartlett

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