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Old 08-02-2008, 08:20 PM
 
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Unfortunately, I think the "solution" WILL be the breaking point--in Colorado, nationally, and worldwide. We have proved ourselves to be no better than any other species when it comes to out-breeding ourselves in relation to our resources to the point that disease, starvation, and--in human cases--war cuts our population. I think there are parts of the world (much of the Third World right now) that are rapidly approaching that "tipping point" when catastrophe can no longer be stemmed, and a major "die-down" ensues. What will probably precipitate it in the developed countries will be shortages of energy, and the resulting wars from those shortages. World War II started in part over energy supplies; it would not surprise me in the least for energy shortages to start World War III.

Colorado is not insulated from those national and international events, and they will affect us here quite dramatically. We also have our own "problem" of a sprawled, petroleum-dependent lifestyle layered on top of very limited water supplies. I think it will be a race to see which one hammers us first--or if they work in concert to "correct" Colorado's unsustainable current population and/or lifestyle. I know I'm labeled as a pessimist for this view, but everything in my professional and personal knowledge and experience leads me to conclude that we are in real trouble--and the sooner we confront reality rather than trying to ignore it, the better.
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Old 08-02-2008, 09:07 PM
 
Location: Road Warrior
2,016 posts, read 5,561,766 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jazzlover View Post
Unfortunately, I think the "solution" WILL be the breaking point--in Colorado, nationally, and worldwide. We have proved ourselves to be no better than any other species when it comes to out-breeding ourselves in relation to our resources to the point that disease, starvation, and--in human cases--war cuts our population. I think there are parts of the world (much of the Third World right now) that are rapidly approaching that "tipping point" when catastrophe can no longer be stemmed, and a major "die-down" ensues. What will probably precipitate it in the developed countries will be shortages of energy, and the resulting wars from those shortages. World War II started in part over energy supplies; it would not surprise me in the least for energy shortages to start World War III.

Colorado is not insulated from those national and international events, and they will affect us here quite dramatically. We also have our own "problem" of a sprawled, petroleum-dependent lifestyle layered on top of very limited water supplies. I think it will be a race to see which one hammers us first--or if they work in concert to "correct" Colorado's unsustainable current population and/or lifestyle. I know I'm labeled as a pessimist for this view, but everything in my professional and personal knowledge and experience leads me to conclude that we are in real trouble--and the sooner we confront reality rather than trying to ignore it, the better.
Inevitably we will reach that breaking point, there is no other way out. Theoretically even if we say the breaking point is 8 million to be reached at 2035, if we are to slow down the in-migration say by 25%, the breaking point will still be reached at 2045. Once again I'm not saying if the breaking point is 8 million or not, that is a matter of perspective. What I am saying is from 2035 to 2045 it gives us an extended time for urban planning, which is better than nothing.

The problem we have though as you might insinuate is from the influx of in-migration. In the 90s many of us proposed building a fence, as I myself have traveled the states, you will see many of the same social issues and growth and problem in sprawl in almost every state, NC for example one of which adopted a growth policy has become the 10th most populous state and as the West has become "Californicated", the Eastern seaboard in relation to this has become "New Yorkfornicated".

That is an idealistic view of building a fence but not reality, my pessimism however does not stem from in-migration, we should welcome our neighbors and show them the way of the land, that is how it has been done for centuries, as my mothers ancestors tilled the land as homesteaders, they eventually built a community which become the state of colorado, embracing my fathers family who moved here after WWII. My pessimism stems from our local politics from where we do acknowledge a problem in growth yet the local politicians hold a view of further enticing this growth. Certainly a popular local politican with a 90% approval rating who harbours a view of furthering this population explosion as well as a sanctuary for illegals tells you where the direction of the state is going.
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