Terry Donaghe wrote:
> I was thinking about the RainForest/Extropian connection this morning
> and the comment someone made that science will eventually replace all
> of the extinct animals we've killed...
That was me most recently, though its been a frequent comment by many on the list. SNIP
>
>
> Your average Joe on the street probably wouldn't even pause to
> consider that immortality is inevitable, but he may get excited to
> know that technology will eventually help us rebuild our planet.
>
> If we, as Extropians, are to become activists, maybe this could be a
> large part of our message. I think people will "buy" into the idea of
> technology as a curative force for the planet quicker than they will
> "buy" one primarily promoting immortality, space colonization, and
> artificial intelligence. (Not to say that we should back off those
> subjects...)
It is an excellent idea. The "Extropic Earth" movement in my opinion, should work as a synergizer to encourage industry to invest in such projects, perhaps it could push for such regs, where if, say someone want to build a dam that threatens a species like the snail darter, they must construct habitat for the species elsewhere to compensate, just as many developers do now with wetlands. I know advocating government regs is anathema to most on the list, but it is how the current system works. Trying to make one change is hard enough without trying to force everyone to make the change the way you want them to. Suggestions?
An idea I had for private species recovery would to possibly make a lottery system, where people can buy as many tickets they want, voting for the species they want to see brought back. When some magic number of dollars is reached, the ticket selected as the winner decides which species 'wins' the dollars for its reintroduction.
Comments???
Mike Lorrey