Why are the 2040s already here? Since I launched the facebook page, The 2040s are Already Here, February 2014, I have yet to answer that question. Like most things historical—Measuring History relies heavily on history—one answer fails to suffice. Most briefly put, why the 2040s matter combines what we know about the future and what we can expect from outer planet patterns
Petroleum and fossil fuels will be around for some time. People still use wood to cook and heat. The question draws attention with crude recently falling into the $20 range and dropping, the petroleum industry has entered an existential crisis. At this price level much must remain in the ground for longer due to lower profits potential. From another side of the energy spectrum, solar and wind renewables fall to equal to or less than coal. The price for the latter will only continue to drop, even as efficiency improves. Can petroleum have enough time to recover before renewable energy reaches critical mass?
Don't Know What You Til it's Gone
Could there be anything worse than wasting abundance? That's what our collective societies do to our planet. Worse than waste, we are turning abundance against ourselves.
Various media related to the 2020s