I recently read an article on IOL entitled "End of the world as we know it" that tackles the world’s collective denial of where we are at the moment (it’s not bad, it’s worse). Despite the use of negative adjectives like ‘bad’ and ‘worse’ (most people roll their eyes when anyone attempts to list just what is wrong with the world; they want solutions not a list of woes), it deals with some very obvious and positive solutions for South Africa, many of which we’ve been spouting here on urban sprout.

The article calls for a ‘Copernican’ shift in our thinking (Copernicus was the first astronomer to prove scientifically that the sun rather than the Earth was at the centre of our cosmic system).

"Our current pursuit of growth and the elevation of human material wants above all else are the raison d'être of the problem. We promote consumption and ignore efficiency. We live as though there is no tomorrow, and the way we are going there probably won't be."

4 solutions for SA:

• The message for SA, well endowed with resources, is this: be bold and aim to reduce population growth, using education and incentives at all times.

• Beware of famine and focus on food security. This means retaining and nurturing efficient maize and wheat farms, promoting agriculture at all levels, developing real skills in this sector and protecting water resources.
• In terms of energy, we should do what is necessary in the short term to ensure that the wheels keep turning and focus on efficiency rather than resolving shortfalls only through more capacity. Forget about giving away energy to new aluminium smelters.
• Innovation, inspiration, capability and competency in the renewable energy sector are vital. We have wind, waves and plenty of sunshine. Eskom's old monopoly on power is not serving us well enough. And when we can engage with wisdom in this urgent matter, we need to consider the end of burning fossil fuels for energy altogether.

Thomas Edison said in 1931: "I'd put my money on the sun and solar energy. What a source of power! I hope we don't have to wait until oil and coal run out before we tackle that."

We are, in a way, trying to deal with the collective failure of technocrats, politicians and the public to imagine a version of human existence that is socially and economically probable and ecologically viable.

We need to understand where we have come from and where we are going to and create a collective vision that negates the self in favour of community.

We really do need to know who we all are and what we truly need. Read the whole article here [IOL]