Eco-friendly ideas to people working in politics
Some scientists conduct such research that probably does more harm to the
ecosystem than good, for example, those who are genetically modifying
creatures, who want to simulate the human brain in a machine, who do
experiments with the smallest particles of matter, who ease the production of
the weapons of mass destruction, or who increase the efficiency of the people
in exploiting the planet. These scientists should not be supported from the
money of the state. The scientists' salary should depend on how much good they
do.
Foreign currency loans are like gambling. Even if we do not speak about the
alleged tricks of the banks with the rates of exchange at the end of months,
we should mention the ethical issues about the availability of this service to
the people. Those who get these loans may not possess enough mental
capabilities to judge whether these loans will be good to them or not. That is
why it should be regulated more who can get such loans, and on what conditions.
This is important not only for the persons who would get these loans, but for
the persons' competitors and for the persons' families too. The competitors
would have less chance to win in a sustainable (loan-free) way, and there would
be more burden on the children than on the their parents with loans.
Paternalism, sustainable competition, family matters and population control can
all be reasons for regulating foreign currency loans, not to mention the
Islamic or the early Christian laws that prohibit all loans with interest. In
short, people should not owe more money than a specified amount, and this
amount of money, or the maximal value of the loans should be specified by the
state, and not by the banks. This would imply that loans should not be foreign
currency loans
...
If every kind of laptops used the same kind of recharger, then it would be
easier to reuse these rechargers for laptops. This would, in one hand, diminish
the harm to the environment, and in the other hand, it would make it easier for
a firm producing solar cells to produce laptop-rechargers with solar cells.
Apart from laptops, it can be worth standardizing the recharger equipments for
other electronic gadgets too, and maybe even the accumulators belonging to them
as well. This way the mass usage of cheap solar cells would become possible. If
we go further, it might be worth standardizing some parts of computers and
other electronic gadgets too, to make more use of the older or not functioning
machines. If we go even further, we can extend this principle to many other
machines, moreover, even for such things as the packaging of yoghurt. It is
possible that it is not in the interest of the vendors. If the vendors do not
agree to do this, then the realization of the plan is the task of the people
working in politics.
However, we should take care of not restricting the people's liberty
unnecessarily because of this: it is only worth standardizing if it's really
reasonable, and a significant improvement can be achieved along with an
insignificant amount of inconvenience; so if we do more good than harm.
Further readings
(these were not necessarily read by the author):
A.C. Grayling - What is good? (2003; Phoenix, London, 2004)
Robert Van De Weyer - Against Usury: Resolving the Economic and Ecological
Crisis (SPCK Publishing, 2010)
Rohan D'Souza - Environment, Technology and Development: Critical and
Subversive Essays (2012)
Eco-friendly international affairs (chapter left out)
In a world where the good learners were richer, the free version of this
book could have more chapters by this, too.