View Single Post
Old 05-28-2012, 01:36 AM   #27 (permalink)
jamesqf
Master EcoModder
 
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Earth
Posts: 5,209
Thanks: 225
Thanked 811 Times in 594 Posts
Quote:
Originally Posted by kingsway View Post
In my lifetime, life expectancy has increased by 30%, 30% fewer children die young, and people are 3 times more affluent than they were in the 1950's.

Without fossil fuels none of this could have happened...
This is false. First, most of the increase in life expectancy is due to things like vaccination and basic public health measures, which don't depend on fossil fuels at all.

Second, how are you measuring affluence? Even in the USA, one of the most affluent (by the circular definitions of affluence used by the cheerleaders of urbanization) societies, most people are condemned to live in urban or suburban areas, with little if any access to natural outdoor environments. This makes them pretty darned poor by my standard, and adversely affects their mental & physical health.
  Reply With Quote