• Druid

    A New Debate: Engineers vs Druids

    For those reading Shrinking Footprints, I feel that few people need to be convinced that global warming is happening and caused by humans. Where the greater debate might be is how we are going to address this problem- what technologies should we use and how will we reconcile the costs of abatement versus economic growth?

    In a recent piece for ABC news, Paul Saffo from the Long Now foundation, describes a growing divide between what he terms “engineers” and “druids”. As he explains,

    “On one side are “engineers,” people convinced that we must work our way out of the climate crisis by engaging in planet-scale efforts like sequestering carbon, unfurling orbital sunshades, tossing dust high in the atmosphere to block sunlight, or moving wholesale to nuclear power to eliminate coal-based emissions. On the opposite side are individuals — call them “druids”– who are equally convinced that the only sensible option is reduce our human planetary footprint, to conserve, preserve and remediate the threatened natural environment.”

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