Draft:Solutions summary 1
Most of the world's [[energy]] today comes from [[fossil fuels]]. To change this, the following tech is needed: [[Energy storage]], especially [[Sodium-ion batteries]] Reason: Because lithium-ion is [[lithium-ion#battery minerals|too mineral-intensive to scale up]]. To be used for mid-range [[electric vehicles]] and smoothing out the day-night cycle of [[solar panels]]. They don't even have to be as energy dense as [[lithium-ion]]. [[Energy sources]] - some combination of [[Solar panels without scarce minerals]] Reason: Most of today's [[solar panels]] on the market are [[solar panel minerals|too mineral-intensive to scale up]]. To be installed on as many [[rooftop solar|rooftops]] as possible. This could provide enough "general-purpose" electricity for homes, buildings and [[EVs]], but not enough for [[heating]] in cold parts of the world. [[Wind turbines]] Mostly for producing [[hydrogen gas]] Can later be burned for [[heating]] buildings and in [[hydrogen combustion vehicles|vehicles]] [[Fuel cell vehicles]] are too platinum/palladium-intensive to scale up, but hydrogen production [[hydrogen gas#platinum-group metals|is not]]. During local windy seasons, can also be used for electricity directly. [[Thorium power]] Note that other forms of [[nuclear]] are not viable to scale up [[Conventional nuclear power]] uses too much uranium-235 (too scarce) Uranium-238 [[breeder reactors]] have too many weapons proliferation concerns [[Nuclear fusion]] probably won't be viable soon enough, even though it'll ultimately be the best option in the distant future. Until the above tech is ready, developed countries must reduce [[energy demand]] - most effectively by... Driving less Individual action: Walk, bike, or use [[public transit]]. Collective action: Making neighborhoods more [[walkabile]] and improving [[public transit]]. Buying less new "stuff" Individual action: [[Frugalism]] Collective action: Fight against [[planned obsolescence]] Yes, these actions would have the most impact - see [[:File:energy-demand-pie1.png|this pie chart]]. Note that [[climate change]] isn't the ''only'' major environmental problem. There's also [[habitat loss]]. The most effective way to stop this is via [[food]]: Reason: Because agriculture uses more [[land]] than any other human activity. Stop [[food waste]] (both personal ''and'' business food waste) Make food more [[plant-based]] (both personal choices ''and'' systemic changes make a difference here) Yes, these actions make the biggest difference, both for the environment and for ending [[global hunger]].