i drove with my flatmates to Oreti beach the other day. it was a splendidly sunny, still day and we took the soccer ball for some kickin'...
naturally, being such a nice day, everyone else had the same idea and the beach was covered with cars and people. now, there aren't that many parts of New Zealand that i am aware of where you are not only allowed to drive a car onto the beach, you apparently have a sacred, god-given right to do so - there is even a speed limit (30km/h).
i am of course living in the land of burt munro, so i shouldn't be too surprised.
we took off to a nearby park to kick the ball. in the same park was a guy with three kids - they had driven there in a monstrous-looking four-wheel drive vehicle (it was absurdly large) and the kids were taking turns hooning round the park in a noisy small four-wheeled motorbike.
funnily enough, from the other side of the road came the hysterical scream of engines - it was opening day for Teretonga Park (the local speedway)... earlier that morning i had been woken by our 'boy racer' neighbours revving it up.
i started to wonder, are we going to be able to change our sporting and entertainment habits in the face of fuel shortages and climate change...?
you don't have to watch telly for long to see some form of motorsport - jet-skis, motorcross, formula one etc. and it is obvious that people are really into this stuff. now, don't get me wrong - i am not interested in telling people what to do or what sports to be involved with, however i can't help but wonder if the people who are into these things realise that they cannot last - that they are unsustainable...?
fuel prices are increasing, as stocks become depleted. food prices are increasing for the same reason, as well as climate change, and now we are using food to produce biofuels... are we so sure that we want to prioritise fossil-fuelled fun over feeding our families?
by raising our kids to admire and adore cars and the associated culture, we are doing them a great disservice, as by the time they are able to drive fuel will be such a precious commodity and the cost of emitting carbon will be so high that they will be unable to afford to do it.
so can we change this culture? can we decide to encourage non-fossil fun, sports that are people-powered like cycling, running, swimming, kayaking... and wean ourselves off the motorsport addiction? i for one am keen to try.
naturally, all organisms will preferentially choose the way of gaining the most energy with the least energy expenditure, so it is neither surprising nor 'wrong' that humans embraced oil (just as a possum will prefer a kiwi egg to a beech leaf), however we are now in a position to see that the results of people consuming so much energy and expending so little are that most 'westernised' of illnesses - obesity, and that most international of issues - climate change.
let's make a conscious decision to encourage young people to see through this fossil-fuelled facade and instead choose sustainable systems for social success and sporting stimulation - "two legs good, four wheels bad"?!
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9 comments:
You made an error
"two legs good, four wheels bad"?!
should read:
"two legs good, four wheels bad"!
I think energy useage patterns will have to change drastically, yet I have no idea when and how apart from the short-term projections.
Just looking at the oil sector alone is difficult enough. Reserve measures fluctuate, capture methods improve, yet rapidly changing politics influence supply as well. Demand goes up and up, but economic growth is unpredictable (think recessions, even depressions). Problem is, you can't look at it alone. There's alternative technologies - the development and implementation of which, theoretically, could actually increase and decrease petroleum prices (though not at the same place at the same time). There's also social pressure to use more energy (high consumption) - or less energy - but I rather doubt whether these social currents can be accurately predicted either.
My point is: Big future changes, yes of course. But when? Don't know. How? Don't know. For whom? Not sure. There's the possibility that things could even stay pretty much the exact same - for some people, for a long time - regarding petrol and cars and lifestyle - and change completely for others.
In a way, perhaps more of the same of what there is now.
Presently, huge differences in how technology is used across the world. Huge difference in energy use, lifestyles, etc.
Peace. ^_^
I've got a three-legged dog - where does he fit in the equation?
My son is in the '4 legs good' camp - he wants to drive a bullock to market, hauling his vegetables. It may seem far-fetched, but already he has found a keen horsewoman with the same vision and the where-with-all to make it a reality. We went to see a miniature horse yesterday but sadly, he'd barely be able to haul a pumpkin, judging by the degree of his diminuativity(!)
I think the way forward is to promote alternative ways to produce electricity - solar, wind, sea etc.
The electricity can then be used to power cars, buses etc. directly or used to split water into hydrogen + oxygen and power fuel cell vehicles.
"Is Eric Roy having a laugh.." I don't think he will be, but we sure are! Nice letter nicbionic! Loved the image of the toothless smile! All we need now is a follow up to Mr Roy's column in the same paper, espousing his Judeo Christian core, noting the similarity of his message to that of the Exclusive Brethren! Whammo! Mr Roy, MP, is bristling at the Gummits 'recognition' of the ritual of Ramadan. Well.
Claptrap probably, Eric's promo for the coal-burners, but there is talk from heads in Invers of sequestering in existing, too-deep-to-mine coal seams, that is, solid mass, rather than 'vast empty caverns below our very feet'. These same heads are looking at coppicing willows for ethanol!!! Go figure - and listened carefully to suggestions that crack was a poor willow and basket the go. Heard all this at the bg agm at Te Anau. Amongst the tory pap.
"however we are now in a position to see that the results of people consuming so much energy and expending so little are that most 'westernised' of illnesses - obesity, and that most international of issues - climate change."
Two totally unsubstantiated generalisations here Nick (sorry about the big words). Obesity isn't necessarily caused by the amount of energy consumed, it's more about the form, e.g. sugars and refined carbs. And as for climate change, don't be sucked in by the climate alarmists, do your own research. Al Gore peddled a pile of crap, the truth about which is out there if you look for it. And yes, I love my big-engined cars although I promise I'd never drive on the beach or in a park.
Motorsport produces not only this kind of appalling pollution (which Councils turn a blind eye to) :
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E7kuPwtNMfI
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_GvvBMq_OJg
Indeed, in ChCh next week a " Burnout Competition " is being held in Addington - go figure.
As well as Air and ground pollution ( don't believe all the hype about Bio Fuels - a LOT of these people use high grade leaded fuel), noise pollution is also a problem:
http://quieterplease.blogspot.com/
Good words.
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