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= Long term thinking =
= Long term thinking =
* The [http://www.longnow.org/ Long Now Foundation] was established in 01996* to creatively foster long-term thinking and responsibility in the framework of the next 10,000 years. (Milliongenerations.org would like to encourage long term thinking but was started in the belief that thinking about a steady state is in many respects easier than thinking about developments in tens, hundreds or thousands of years.)
* The [http://www.longnow.org/ Long Now Foundation] was established in 01996* to creatively foster long-term thinking and responsibility in the framework of the next 10,000 years. (Milliongenerations.org would like to encourage long term thinking but was started in the belief that thinking about a steady state is in many respects easier than thinking about developments in tens, hundreds or thousands of years.)
 
* The [http://www.fhi.ox.ac.uk/ Future of Humanity Institute at Oxford University],  researches and publishes on big picture questions for humanity. Its director is [http://www.nickbostrom.com Nick Bostrom], who is also co-founder of the [http://www.transhumanism.org World Transhumanist Association] and the [http://www.ieet.org/ Institute for Ethics and Emerging Technologies]


= Explaining sustainability  =
= Explaining sustainability  =

Revision as of 16:20, 26 October 2008

The list below intends to inform, to help explain the focus of milliongenerations.org and to help avoid repetition. It is far from comprehensive, and does not imply endorsement. Please add references and relevant categories.

Perspective similar to milliongenerations.org

milliongenerations.org asks everyone to consider what follows from the assumption that civilization continues. Many already have, although probably not in the same way and with the same perspective. Please add any relevant information.

>Proposal to move regarding following text in section: SEE DISCUSSION

The assumption, that civilisation will continue is not a very prophetic one. Why shouldn’t it? It will continue until it will collapse. It looks like it will collapse some day, nevertheless it may take a while. As we are running to a certain extent this civilisation we seem to approve it. Thus to me it appears that for us two questions arise: How can we prevent it form collapsing due to our way of living? Civilisation will change. So which way do we want it to change it in order to improve living conditions and what should can we do to prolong its existence? Or maybe civilisation is endless. Doesn’t seem very probable to me. But for myself it will be endless. So why not assume it?

Long term thinking

Explaining sustainability

  • The Brundtland comission's report concluded that Sustainable development is development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. It contains within it two key concepts:
    • the concept of 'needs', in particular the essential needs of the world's poor, to which overriding priority should be given; and
    • the idea of limitations imposed by the state of technology and social organization on the environment's ability to meet present and future needs.
  • Project Worldview has list of links on sustainability and enoughness
  • US Environmental Protection Agency EPA defines Sustainability as “meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.”

... please add.


Theories about sustainable economy

  • Henry George believed that that the public collection of the rent of land leads to vigorous, sustainable prosperity.


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Promoting sustainable development

  • The Alliance of Civilization (AoC) was established in 2005, at the initiative of the Governments of Spain and Turkey, under the auspices of the United Nations to explore the roots of polarization between societies and cultures today, and to recommend a practical programme of action to address this issue. The Alliance of Civilizations (AoC) aims to improve understanding and cooperative relations among nations and peoples across cultures and religions and, in the process, to help counter the forces that fuel polarization and extremism.
  • Carbonrally is a web-based activism platform offering individuals and groups a fun, simple and social way to have a measurable impact on climate change.
  • De Kleine Aarde is a Dutch organization providing inspiration for sustainable living.
  • The Designers Accord is a global coalition of designers, educators, researchers, engineers, and corporate leaders, working together to create positive environmental and social impact. Its mission includes createing a web platform to enable the conversation about opportunities and challenges associated with creating products and services that make positive social and environmental impact.
  • The Earth Policy Institute is dedicated to building a sustainable future as well as providing a plan of how to get from here to there.
  • The Natural Capital Institute serves the people who are transforming the world. It describes itself as a team of researchers, teachers, students, activists, scholars, writers, social entrepreneurs, artists, and volunteers committed to the restoration of the earth and the healing of human culture.
  • SustainLane.com is a web based people-powered guide to sustainable living. SustainLane.com contains personal accounts of how-tos, news, and local business and product reviews for sustainable living. SustainLane US City Rankings is a national survey that ranks the largest 50 US cities in terms of their sustainability practices.
  • Foundation Urgenda intends to stimulate and accelerate processes that aim for a more sustainable civilization, starting in The Netherlands.
  • Worldchanging magazine is a solutions-based online magazine that works from a simple premise: that the tools, models and ideas for building a better future lie all around us. That plenty of people are working on tools for change, but the fields in which they work remain unconnected. That the motive, means and opportunity for profound positive change are already present. That another world is not just possible, it's here. We only need to put the pieces together.
  • ZeroGrowth answers the question "why zero growth?" with another question: "why not?" Can someone explain this more clearly?

In many instances, "sustainable" seems to have become a fashionable adjective rather independent from a long-term, steady state perspective

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Futurology

  • IFTF: the Institute for the Future is an independent, nonprofit research group with nearly 40 years of forecasting experience. The core of its work is identifying emerging trends and discontinuities that will transform global society and the global marketplace.
  • The Millennium Project of The World Federation of UN Associations is a global participatory futures research think tank of futurists, scholars, business planners, and policy makers who work for international organizations, governments, corporations, NGOs, and universities.

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Collapses of civilizations

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Threats to survival of civilizations

  • Exit Mundi, a large collection of end-world scenarios by Maarten Keulemans (also available as book in Dutch)
  • The Guardian April 14, 2005: "What a way to go" Scientists name the greatest dange r to civilization.
  • John Hamaker: "The Survival of Civilizations", 1982 (www editon 2002 with annotations by Donald Weaver). Hamaker discusses the threat of a glacial period.
  • James Howard Kunstler's "The Long Emergency" discusses the end of cheap fossil fuels.
  • Jay Hanson, Tom Robertson site dieoff.org provide a lot of links and information on sustainability and energy
  • Eugene Linden's "The Winds of Change" discusses weather and the destruction of civilisations.
  • Stephen Petranek: 10 ways the world could end Video at the 2002 TED conference
  1. Asteroids, a question of when and how big
  2. Black Hole about a billion miles away could alter earth's orbit
  3. Epidemic
  4. Solar flares
  5. Poles reverse
  6. Biotech mishap
  7. Particle accelerator mishap creates lasting black hole or strangelets
  8. The Ecosystem collapses, solve by ecosystem modelling and huge biodiversity reserves
  9. Aliens invade earth
  10. We loose the will to survive due to the spreading of depression, the biggest epidemic humans have ever faced


...please add

Surviving threats

  • The Lifeboat Foundation is a nonprofit nongovernmental organization dedicated to encouraging scientific advancements while helping humanity survive existential risks and possible misuse of increasingly powerful technologies, including genetic engineering, nanotechnology, and robotics/AI, as we move towards a technological singularity.
  • Wikipedia entry on Survivalism contains a many references, mostly about surviving on a personal level rather than as a civilization.


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