DOME MAGAZINE: Fall 1995, Vol. 8 | No. 1
While we enjoy the benefits of the democratic society that we have here in the United States, we are being reminded daily that we have within us the seeds of our own destruction, and that of the society that we hold dear.
It is fitting that this year celebrates the centennial of the birth of Dr. Buckminster Fuller, who through his infinite wisdom many years ago, saw what might be considered the downfall of civilization as we know it today. In his book, Utopia or Oblivion, a copy of which is available from the Fuller Institute, Dr. Fuller looked forward to the time when all of the world could end in chaos, or when it could end as Utopia. Since this book was written in the ‘60s, there were plenty of signs at that time that we could well be on our way to oblivion.
Choosing Oblivion…
Fuller states, “If man chooses oblivion, he can go right on, leaving his fate to the political leaders. If he chooses Utopia, he must initiate an enormous educational program, immediately, if not sooner.” Considering the time lapse, from the mid-’60s to the present, it seems that the educational admonishment put forward by Dr. Fuller has not been implemented. Are his words being heeded? Most decidedly not.
The physical force to demolish all life on this planet was unleashed over Hiroshima, Japan, in 1945. We finally have the capabilities within our society to produce another Mars in the solar system, totally void of human life, and the planet Earth—a total desert.
…Or Utopia
Sir Thomas More, in a book about an imaginary island entitled Utopia, written almost 500 years ago, describes Utopia as a seat of perfection in moral, social and political life. The truths that More talked about are basic within most human animals. But also within the human are greed, selfishness, and all of the other sins that make life here on this planet difficult and tentative. Dr. Fuller subscribed to the theory that man could exist on this planet without anyone being without food and shelter.
While it is true that the Hiroshima explosion was significant in stopping the war with Japan, it also opened the door to an unending list of relevant questions that are still not answered 50 years later. Though the smashed atom at that time promised an abundant supply of cheap power, it has not worked out that way. Considering the costs of construction, costs of cleanup after the plants’ life, and the operational costs, atomic power has proved to be anything but inexpensive.
Nuclear Power
Atomic power plants represent the possibility of catastrophic danger. Consider the devastation of the Chernobyl accident and the near miss at Three Mile Island. The Chernobyl blast has turned thousands of acres of arable land into a desert.
In addition, the storage of atomic waste has become a quagmire. The proponents of atomic energy tell us that disposition of atomic waste is no problem, and yet, there is no place on this earth in which to store it safely. “Not in my back yard” is the response to the location of storage facilities. The waste is known to produce dangerous radiation for thousands of years. In addition, there are large areas in this country where the manufacturers of atomic materials have destroyed thousands of arable acres, because of the improper and careless storage of factory waste. Savannah River, Hanover and Rocky Mountain Flats, to name a few.
Saving Planet Earth
It does not have to be that way. Dr. Fuller’s philosophies and teachings clearly state that the world need not be demolished, but can be saved by education and by following some basic rules. Planet Earth can become a place for all humans to live in comfort and harmony. Is this a dream, or is it possible? Considering the present condition of our politics, we might be compelled to believe that we are on the downhill side to the end of the democratic system as we have known it.
Political Trends
The current political trend is to deregulate industry. Given the present political climate, industry would be allowed to make its own decisions regarding the safety of its products or to control the wastes and dangers of its production. It does not take much imagination to see what would happen if all government regulation were abandoned and industry were allowed to police itself. The engine that drives production is profits. And, given carte-blanche as to safety in product or production, it is easy to see which way it would go. Simply look at the United States companies that have emigrated to Mexico, where regulation is almost nil. They have created an environmental mess. And the politics of Mexico could not care less.
Even with some strong government regulation in place in the past, pressure from industry lobbying efforts to allow free wheeling in the manufacturing area has resulted in pollution of the air we breathe and the water we drink.
Current political trends are opting to eliminate governmental controls and let industry have its way. Since industry is driven by the bottom line, what could we expect them to do with NO regulation, considering what they have done WITH regulation?
Alternative Fuels
The gasoline-powered car is one of the main reasons that our air quality is deteriorating. Come to Denver, Chicago, Los Angeles, Phoenix, Minneapolis or any other large city in the United States on almost any given day and you will see the results of fossil pollutants.
You will see a brown smoky haze in the sky. Once, cities like Denver or Phoenix were ultimate examples of places to be if you wanted to breathe clean air. Not so today. The TV weather reports on any given day may comment on the condition of the air at that particular time as “Unhealthy.” This seems to be acceptable to the general public. So what do you do, stop breathing or leave town fast or continue to breathe bad air?
Ethanol
One of the options to eliminate this problem is available by the use of a renewable fuel such as ethanol. However, the will seems to be absent. With ethanol, the United States could have cleaner air and have plenty of home grown fuel. This fuel is clean-burning and comes with an unending supply. There is no need for us to maintain a gargantuan military strength to protect our pipeline to the faraway oil fields of the world.
Ethanol is produced from corn, which after being processed for fuel, still provides a concentrated food protein product. There is a protein shortage on this planet, not a shortage of starches and sugars. But try to get the oil lobby out of our capitol. Since our Congress seems to be run by money, that possibility is mighty slim.
Electric Vehicles
Another option to the gas hog is the pollution-free electric vehicle. Why is this remarkable vehicle being hidden from view? Sweden has an electric car with a small gas-powered generator on board that produces 200 miles to the gallon. The economics of the electrical vehicle have already been established. The State of California has passed or is considering passing legislation to make ethanol and electric powered vehicles a standard by the end of the century. California may become the electric powered capital of the United States. It is a case of wishful thinking that we are going to hear very much about the saving of energy and the lessening of pollution if it is to come from the corporate giants that control those two items. The change must come from the voters and from the people who are selected to make decisions for us. We will have the power to survive as a democratic nation. We still have enough power to say, “Enough already.” The option is still open. The collapse of democracy will most certainly occur and the door to utopian change will slam shut if we as voters sit on our hands and let it happen.
The Housing of Choice
Being relatively new at traveling the internet, I am not surprised at the negative responses that occur at the mention of dome homes. The non-existent conspiracy that exists in the world in general, relative to misinformation about dome homes, has found its way into the third wave. We have submitted material on dome homes to the Home Owners Forum on America Online, with the hopes that the documents will clear up some of the misconceptions about dome structures. To those of you who have access to the internet, I urge you to pass along information you have gleaned over the years. In the meantime, keep the focus on the greatest building system of all time, the dome home. This may be the time that the dome home may, after all, become the housing of choice.