Rethinking Lifestyle

In 2050, a 40-year-old named Sean and his young family live in a simple yet sustainable world in Steinbach, Manitoba, Canada. Sean has a full time home-based job as a local all purpose repairman, a job that he thoroughly enjoys. Sean loves to build practical items for his own children and for neighbourhood children. He also has a creative outlet as a sculptor. In addition to being with his family, Sean also has time to observe, to meditate, and to read about recent and ancient history.

Recent history was richly described to him and to his family by his mother Karen, now 70 years old, who loves to reminisce about her life, which had seen dramatic changes. Her father Martin, recently deceased, had in the 2020s become increasingly aware of climate change, an existential threat to Earth’s civilization.

As the threat had been caused mainly by the green house gases (GHGs) emitted by the burning of fossil fuels like natural gas, gasoline and diesel fuel throughout the 20th century, Martin and many others had joined an all-out effort to diminish and eventually eliminate the use of fossil fuels, using renewable energy instead. As heat for houses, fuel for vehicles, and energy and raw materials for many industries were highly dependent on fossil fuels, the conversion was dramatic and far-reaching, and took decades to complete. The transformation beginning in the 2020s was given the name Respecting Gaia, a reference to Mother Earth and its sensitive active systems that provide sustenance to its inhabitants.

Sean had completed some post-secondary education and had spent time travelling and working in various jobs. For 2 years he had worked on a vessel off the coast of British Columbia collecting plastic items which had been dumped in massive quantities in the Pacific Ocean. Not only did this improve fish habitat, it also provided raw material for producing items previously formed from petroleum.

Sean and his sister Susan and their friends are happily involved in many jobs and pursuits, including research, education, product development, renewable energy production, health care, construction, intensive agriculture, music, fabrics and clothing, and sports and recreation. Susan is a medical doctor. She is also a tree and nature enthusiast.

Housing in cities is arranged in neighbourhoods of 500 people, carefully designed to make good use of space, with mainly small multi-unit buildings. Having buildings in clusters reduces the distance to amenities. The buildings are sited to make maximum use of sunlight. They have both private areas and interior and exterior common areas. Amenities are locally available to maximize walking, cycling, and public transport and to minimize the use of personal vehicles. Public transport passes are available for the use of buses, trains, pool vehicles and bicycles.

Opportunity is given for residents to be employed in building and yard maintenance, local food production and processing, repairs and maintenance, education and child care. Local shops provide additional employment. Space and facilities are available for personal gardening, hobbies, art, music and entertainment.

All urban centres have ready access to wild areas for enjoyment and renewal. Many surrounding areas have been reclaimed and reforested. Tree planting and wetlands construction have been vigorous throughout Manitoba. This has been important for habitat, soil conservation and water retention. Trees are important for CO2 capture. The use of lumber from these trees in construction traps carbon in the long term.

Since 2025, Manitoba building codes have required that all new buildings are run completely by renewable energy and all older buildings have been retrofitted to renewable energy. Most residences, new and old, are connected to the Manitoba Hydro grid and are “zero GHG” and “net energy zero” or “net energy positive”.

Manitoba Hydro’s energy sources are diversified, including renewable energy such as wind and solar. Residents are encouraged to construct geothermal, wind and solar systems. The overall system is balanced to meet energy demands in all seasons through the use of season-to-season energy storage such as hydrogen. The system is operating seamlessly.

Stories had been told about the lavish 2020s lifestyle at the height of consumption, waste and pollution. Oil and gas companies were pushing for more and more fossil fuel collection and use. Lumber, paper companies and farmers were intent on cutting more trees, some old-growth, with no regard for plant and animal habitat, CO2 capture, and water management.

The year 2022 was the turning point towards increasingly responsible lifestyles with energy conservation and renewable energy capture, recycling or other beneficial use of all waste, and regenerative cycles.

More to follow.