Global warming forces re-examination of our values

As global warming continues and as oil prices rise, the need for alternatives to fossil fuels is becoming urgent. However, as professor Richard Hill recently told a group of Bangor business leaders, wind, solar and biofuels will not be sufficient to replace our use of fossil fuels. He concludes that we will need to conserve energy as well as increase our alternative energy sources. He also said the cost of substitutes for fossil fuels will be very high. Does this mean that we are facing a decreased standard of living? The answer depends on our values.

In the first annual George J. Mitchell Lecture on the Environment at the University of Maine, Gus Speth, dean of the Yale University School of Forestry & Environmental Studies and co-founder of the Natural Resources Defense Council, proposed that we need to switch from our traditional focus on growth to a focus on sustainability. He reviewed a number of studies showing that happiness and satisfaction require only a modest income. The happiness that comes from buying a new car is fleeting, whereas our friendships provide sustained satisfaction. If we focus on the quality of our lives rather than our incomes, we can better afford alternatives to fossil fuels and reduce our overall need for energy.

Many traditional societies have been documented where people lead happy, healthy, long lives without the use of any fossil fuels. A number of these societies have been reviewed in the book “Healthy at 100,” by John

Robbins. While claims of extreme longevity in these societies have been exaggerated, it is clear that the incidence of cancer and heart disease is very low, and that people in these groups generally remain vigorous and healthy until close to the end of their lives. While most of us would not want to copy all aspects of their lives, they do show that a very good life is possible without any use of fossil fuels.

Key factors in the health of these people are their diet and the exercise that is built into their daily lives. They do not need energy for transportation, because they grow their food close to where they live and get from one place to the other by walking. Thus their food is fresh and unprocessed, and by necessity they get the exercise that is essential for good health. Their food is mostly from plant sources and requires less labor and land to produce. It is of note that obesity is absent in these cultures.

Concerns over global warming and the high cost of oil and gas have led to some changes in the United States. Drivers of the Prius gain status as people who care about the environment. However, even greater admiration should be given to those who mostly get around by bicycle, foot, and public transportation. Likewise those who build and live in energy-efficient houses should be admired. State leaders deserve more credit and publicity for the requirement that new state buildings must be built to a code that requires a high degree of energy efficiency.

However, poor people cannot afford to buy a Prius or an energy-efficient house. They may also not be able to find affordable housing close to their work. In contrast the rich can afford energy inefficient cars and houses if

they want them. In American society large houses and large cars are often status symbols. We need to move towards societies more like those reviewed by Robbins, where status is gained by the sharing of wealth. We need executives with greater concern for the well-being of their workers than for the size of their own salaries.

Guidance is given by movements and organizations of the past and present that promote lifestyles with a lower environmental impact. Helen and Scott Nearing of Harborside were well-known for their book, “Living the Good Life.” They showed that it is possible to lead a high-quality life in the modern world, with very little consumption of natural resources. The Maine Organic Farming and Gardening Association runs the Common Ground Fair and many other educational activities during the year. It is providing practical lessons on how to integrate traditional and modern ways of life.

Making the transition from a society with high rates of energy use to one where energy supplies can be sustained will not be simple. But the transition will be easier if we rethink what is truly important in our lives. It is encouraging to know that past societies have done very well without any use of fossil fuels.

With the use of wind, solar and other technologies we have a wide range of options for living comfortable and rewarding lives. Now is the time for all of us to consider what changes we might make in our own lives and to discuss these issues with others. Speth and others feel that such changes are urgently needed to prevent severe damage to the world environment.

John Tjepkema is a professor of plant physiology at the University of Maine’s School of Biology and Ecology.