Paul, if you don't want to have people go back to an agrarian life style don't suggest that you do.

And don't forget that our present way of life is probably necessary before we can get to a fully sustainable life style (including reducing the world population). I believe you have a solar water heater which you built yourself. Keep in mind that a solar water heater is pretty high tech. I doubt if you could have built one 150 years ago. The heater requires pipes which require quite a bit of technology to produce. If they are metal you have to have advanced mining technology, refining technology and forming technology. If they are plastic they are made from petroleum, with all the advanced technology involved in that. All of these are very energy consuming. So in order to get to a solar economy we have to go through all of the stages we have been going through.

I just flat don't believe there is any way to get to the level you are talking about without going through our current level.

We aren't really all that dumb. We just need time to observe what is happening and figure out a way to change. And that involves continuing to use the energy we have available until we develop new energy sources. That doesn't mean we can just sit around and wait for things to fall in our lap, we do need to keep working on it. And we can keep on being as smart as we already are.

Bill Gill

C is not the speed of light in a vacuum.
C is the universal speed limit.