Ecological Crisis Timeline
It is impossible for anyone to say, what or when catastrophes will be brought by the ecological crisis. The best predictions we have of a timeline are illustrated in Figure 1, which comes from a simple equation:
P (population) x S (services used by people) x E (energy needed to power those services) x R (resources required) = Externalities
Everyday, by doing nothing or by being ineffective we are purchasing yet another lottery ticket for doomsday. If the lowest rung of Maslow's hierarchy for any populace is disturbed such as lack of food or water this could set off a series of events which will affect you directly. For instance, if there are mass crop failures our “Just in Time” delivery, system adopted by the majority of businesses to reduce cost, means most stores only keep 3 days' worth of food on site. We are only nine meals from anarchy.
Only a crisis – actual or perceived – produces real change. When the next crisis occurs, the actions that are taken depend on the ideas that are lying around, so let's get a move on.
Further Reading