Are Jeff Bezos, Richard Branson and Elon Musk doing civilization a favor and advancing science? Are they preparing to colonize space like the Borg in Star Trek: The Next Generation? Or are they seeking status and boosting their egos – AND their carbon footprints – with expensive toys?
July was a big month for space travel, with two billionaires blasting into space. Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin and Richard Branson’s Virgin Galactic sold seats and launched space tourists into near space and promised many repeat performances. Elon Musk’s SpaceX plans manned Earth orbits before the year ends.
In this episode, Stephanie Gardner joins host Dave Gardner to explore the questions these flights raise. They also examine the carbon footprints of lifestyles of the rich and famous.
MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:
How to Have a Green Wedding – Episode 25 of the GrowthBusters podcast
https://www.growthbusters.org/green-wedding-episode-25/
Sarah’s Wildlife-Friendly Wedding – Episode 47 of the GrowthBusters podcast
http://www.growthbusters.org/wildlife-friendly-wedding/
Population Decline is Part of the Solution (2008 YouTube video featuring Stephanie Gardner)
https://youtu.be/XXyyCY5IM6Q
RELEVANT LINKS:
Billionaire Space Race – by Tim Jackson
https://medium.com/ending-overshoot/billionaire-space-race-7e0738703554
As Bezos Completes Blue Origin Mission, Many Ask What’s the Climate-Change Impact?https://www.marketwatch.com/story/as-bezos-completes-blue-origin-mission-many-ask-whats-the-climate-change-impact-11626795950
Space Flight for Fun: Billionaire Egotism Trumps Sustainability – by Steve Banker
https://www.forbes.com/sites/stevebanker/2021/07/12/space-flight-for-fun-billionaire-egotism-trumps-sustainability/
The Surprising Carbon Footprint of Space Travel – by John Armstrong
https://energycentral.com/c/ec/surprising-carbon-footprint-space-travel
Where is Starman? Track Elon Musk's Tesla Roadster in Space!
https://www.whereisroadster.com/
The Environmental Impact of Emissions from Space Launches: A Comprehensive Review (May, 2020 in Journal of Cleaner Production, by Australian Centre for Space Engineering Research)
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0959652620302560
An Increase in Rocket Launches Could Have a Significant Environmental Impact
https://startupsavant.com/news/increase-rocket-launches
How Much CO2 Did Bezos’ Rocket Ride Release? Close to Zero (Politifacts factcheck by The Poynter Institute)
https://www.politifact.com/factchecks/2021/jul/20/tweets/how-much-co2-did-bezos-rocket-ride-release-close-z/
Where the Space Industry is Grounded – by Andrew Beattie (published by the Millennium Alliance for Humanity and the Biosphere)
https://mahb.stanford.edu/library-item/where-the-space-industry-is-grounded/
Private Planes, Mansions and Superyachts: What Gives Billionaires Like Musk and Abramovich Such a Massive Carbon Footprint
https://theconversation.com/private-planes-mansions-and-superyachts-what-gives-billionaires-like-musk-and-abramovich-such-a-massive-carbon-footprint-152514
Environmental Concerns Grow Among Scientists as Space Tourism Lifts Off
https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202107/1228942.shtml
Why Space Flights’ Green Credentials Don’t Fly (opinion column in Financial Times)
https://www.afr.com/technology/why-space-flights-green-credentials-don-t-fly-20210711-p588oy
How Bad is Space Tourism for The Environment? And Other Space Travel Questions, Answered
https://www.vox.com/recode/22589197/space-travel-tourism-bezos-branson-rockets-blue-origin-virgin-galactic-spacex
Forbes Billionaires List
https://www.forbes.com/billionaires/
Forbes Real-Time Billionaires List
https://www.forbes.com/real-time-billionaires/#3384987c3d78
Jeff Bezos' $400 Million Flying Fox Yacht
https://youtu.be/MRYEcushHjc
On the GrowthBusters podcast, we come to terms with the limits to growth, explore the joy of sustainable living, and provide a recovery program from our society’s growth addiction (economic/consumption and population). This podcast is part of the GrowthBusters project to raise awareness of overshoot and end our culture’s obsession with, and pursuit of, growth.
Dave Gardner directed the documentary GrowthBusters: Hooked on Growth, which Stanford Biologist Paul Ehrlich declared “could be the most important film ever made.”
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Follow the podcast so you don't miss an episode:
84: Strong Economy Begins With Shrinking Workforce
83: We Roasted Elon Musk, Raising the Curiosity of Thousands
82: Governor Whitmer Unveils Ponzi Population Policy
81 Overpopulation Think Tank – Part 2
80 How Do We Get Out of This Mess? University Students Brainstorm
79 Overpopulation Think Tank – Part 1
78 Discussing Overpopulation: Let's Clear the Minefield
77 Fact-Checking News of China’s “Demographic Crisis”
76 Now Here's What We Call an Eco-Superhero
75 A Vasectomy Could Save Herschel Walker a Lot of Money
74 Bleak Friday, 8 Billion Post-Mortem and Damage Done by Guilt
73 Eight Billion is Too Many: Don’t be a Twit About Overpopulation
72 Upping Our Game Alerting the World to Limits to Growth: New Online Community
71 World Population Day 2022: We’re Overpopulated. Pass It On.
70 Paul Ehrlich on The Limits to Growth
69 Chickens are Coming Home to Roost
68 Paul Ehrlich, Unfiltered (Special Earth Day Episode)
67 Obsessive-Compulsive’s Guide to Cutting Your Carbon Footprint
66 Can Living a 1.5 Degree Lifestyle Make a Difference?
65 What Do College Students Think Their Future Holds?
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