UNAids: Asia Becoming AIDS Powder Keg

SirNitram · Post by **SirNitram** » 2004-07-11 12:32pm

Uraniun235 wrote:
RedImperator wrote:
Peregrin Toker wrote:On the bright side, this will hopefully serve as a partial solution to overpopulation.
The world is self-sufficient in food and the birthrate worldwide is falling towards replacement. There is no overpopulation problem. There is no bright side to millions of people dying a painful, lingering death.
Why the fuck is food the first thing anyone points to? It's not food that'll be the limiting factor, it'll be water.

You are aware the mudball we're currently on has 75% of it's surface covered with water, so at worst we simply have to improve our desaltation methods?

Admiral Valdemar · Post by **Admiral Valdemar** » 2004-07-11 07:01pm

SirNitram wrote:
Uraniun235 wrote:
RedImperator wrote: The world is self-sufficient in food and the birthrate worldwide is falling towards replacement. There is no overpopulation problem. There is no bright side to millions of people dying a painful, lingering death.
Why the fuck is food the first thing anyone points to? It's not food that'll be the limiting factor, it'll be water.
You are aware the mudball we're currently on has 75% of it's surface covered with water, so at worst we simply have to improve our desaltation methods?

Desalination plants cost money, lots. They're okay for desert nation enclaves with some sea link, but to do that worldwide? You're looking at a major amount of engineering and that's not including the energy needed to carry out such exhaustive processes like reverse osmosis. If the oil crisis takes off, that'll be another hindrance.

I believe the US is having disputes with Mexico over water as well.

SirNitram · Post by **SirNitram** » 2004-07-11 07:08pm

Admiral Valdemar wrote:Desalination plants cost money, lots. They're okay for desert nation enclaves with some sea link, but to do that worldwide? You're looking at a major amount of engineering and that's not including the energy needed to carry out such exhaustive processes like reverse osmosis. If the oil crisis takes off, that'll be another hindrance.

I know it's a huge cost, but I'm merely pointing out that we have options on water shortages.

Admiral Valdemar · Post by **Admiral Valdemar** » 2004-07-11 07:11pm

SirNitram wrote:
Admiral Valdemar wrote:Desalination plants cost money, lots. They're okay for desert nation enclaves with some sea link, but to do that worldwide? You're looking at a major amount of engineering and that's not including the energy needed to carry out such exhaustive processes like reverse osmosis. If the oil crisis takes off, that'll be another hindrance.
I know it's a huge cost, but I'm merely pointing out that we have options on water shortages.

By all means we have options, I'm just expecting some stupid skirmishes with nations before anyone seeks that alternative. Humans can be stupid like that, so weighing up the cost of stealing someone's water by force or finding another way will crop up. India and Pakistan are another two having disputes and, as we all know, they're teetering on a knife edge all the time it seems. With nukes.

Uraniun235 · Post by **Uraniun235** » 2004-07-11 07:18pm

SirNitram wrote:You are aware the mudball we're currently on has 75% of it's surface covered with water, so at worst we simply have to improve our desaltation methods?

You are aware that not everyone lives near the coast, aren't you?

How many people do you want on the planet, anyway?

Defiant · Post by **Defiant** » 2004-07-11 07:18pm

Does anyone know offhand what effect (if any) that AIDs might be having in South America?

Admiral Valdemar · Post by **Admiral Valdemar** » 2004-07-11 07:22pm

Defiant wrote:Does anyone know offhand what effect (if any) that AIDs might be having in South America?

From memory, I don't recall it being a hotzone like Africa and Asia are/are becoming. But I've never really seen it in any reports, so may check it out when I have extra time. It can't be as bad as the other two areas though because South America at least has some infrastructure in the major population areas, that's not to say it isn't getting worse like everywhere else. It's how fast that worsening situation is getting that we measure.

SirNitram · Post by **SirNitram** » 2004-07-11 07:25pm

Uraniun235 wrote:
SirNitram wrote:You are aware the mudball we're currently on has 75% of it's surface covered with water, so at worst we simply have to improve our desaltation methods?
You are aware that not everyone lives near the coast, aren't you?

How many people do you want on the planet, anyway?

Ideally? Three billion, with Culture-level standards of living.

Seriously, I'm merely pointing out that there is plenty of water. Yes, it will take some troubles to get people off their asses, yes it will cost ridiculous amounts of money to purify the water and move it around. It will not, however, be the cause of a major human dieback.

RedImperator · Post by **RedImperator** » 2004-07-11 07:42pm

Uraniun235 wrote:
SirNitram wrote:You are aware the mudball we're currently on has 75% of it's surface covered with water, so at worst we simply have to improve our desaltation methods?
You are aware that not everyone lives near the coast, aren't you?

How many people do you want on the planet, anyway?

How many do you want, and how do you propose we get to that number?

Uraniun235 · Post by **Uraniun235** » 2004-07-12 01:44am

Less than we have right now, that much is certain. I have no solutions to this end, but I don't see why we should try to accomodate more than we really have to.