Re: Earth's Carrying Capacity

From: Thomas Palm (Thomas.Palm_at_chello.removethis.se)
Date: 08/16/04 

Date: Mon, 16 Aug 2004 16:49:40 GMT

"Ian St. John" <istjohn@noemail.ca> wrote in
news:7l4Uc.5659$ZI1.251946@news20.bellglobal.com:

> Thomas Palm wrote:
>> Ian Stirling <root@mauve.demon.co.uk> wrote in
>> news:4120b3ed$0$519$ed2619ec@ptn-nntp-reader02.plus.net:
>>
>>> In sci.space.policy Gactimus <gactimus@xrs.net> wrote:
>>>> How many people can the earth support?
>>>
>>> Multiply the population density of Biosphere II, which could
>>> probably work at that population density, with the area of the
>>> earth, and you get 200 billion.
>>
>> Biosphere II was never self-sufficient but relied heavily on energy
>> import,
>
> So does the world. But the energy 'imported' from the sun is much much
> greater than all of our use put together, so it is not a limiting
> factor.

I wasn't talking about the diluted solar energy, but concentrated energy
from powerplants to drive air conditioning etc. Had this energy been
collected from solar cells the area needed for Biosphere II would have been
a lot larger than the buildings themselves. That Biosphere II was
transparent and used photosynthesis for its plants was quite acceptible.

>> and against the rules had to replace the atmosphere when CO2
>> levels got too high.
>
> Yes, due to changes in soil balance. This was unexpected but not a
> factor in the food balance. The real point was that Biospherians found
> it hard to produce enough to eat and exited quite a bit thinner than
> they went in.

Food balance is only one factor in staying alive. The Earth provide so many
other services that we too often take for granted. Personally I'll be
really interested in seeing how long it will take to create a self-
supporting space colony. Then we'll know how hard it really is to live when
we have to live in a closed system we have to regulate ourselves.

Relevant Pages

  • Re: Earths Carrying Capacity
    ... >> Multiply the population density of Biosphere II, ... >> work at that population density, with the area of the earth, and you ... >Biosphere II was never self-sufficient but relied heavily on energy import, ... That's energy import over and above sunlight coming in, ...
    (sci.space.policy)
  • Re: Earths Carrying Capacity
    ... >> Multiply the population density of Biosphere II, ... But the energy 'imported' from the sun is much much ... due to changes in soil balance. ...
    (sci.space.policy)
  • Re: Earths Carrying Capacity
    ... But the energy 'imported' from the sun is much ... > energy been collected from solar cells the area needed for Biosphere ... > II would have been a lot larger than the buildings themselves. ... This is a theoretical construct so I can theoretically use any technology I ...
    (sci.space.policy)
  • Re: Yes, Iraq War over OIL.
    ... "The Lunar Solar Power (LSP) System can supply electric energy to ... Earth at less than 0.01 $/kWe-h that is independent of the biosphere ...
    (misc.news.internet.discuss)