Nota:La idea de esta exposición más o menos detallada de lo que sería el mundo del futuro, es que sirva de punto de partida para la realización de exposiciones, vídeos y maquetas, y además funcione como un modesto aporte para otra de las metas fundamentales del Proyecto Venus Global, la cual consiste en la realización de una superproducción cinematográfica que muestre como sería la vida de todos los seres humanos del planeta, si se llegara a implementar a nivel mundial el sistema de la economía basada en recursos.
ENGLISH TRANSLATION (WE APOLOGIZE FOR ANY MISTAKE)
PROPOSAL FOR A CIRCULAR CITY
Idea based on the designs and the social and environmental approaches of The Venus Project (www.thevenusproject.com) for the improvement of the global society of the present and the building of the future sustainable world. (Image: Jacque Fresco)
“The circular configuration of the cities proposed by The Venus Project are not just stylized architectural conceptualization, but the results of years of research into an environment that best serves the needs of the occupants efficiently and economically.”
“A circular city would be a transitional phase and could evolve from a semicooperative money-oriented society to a resource-based economy.”
“This new city would be devoted to work on the objectives and goals of The Venus Project, which are:… Gradually overcome corporate and government entities…” (“Objetivos y Propuestas” in TVP Spanish Version)
“Don't forget all the models that I do are only transitional… they're not necessarily what the future might look like.”
“Some cities can be circular while others may be linear, underground, or constructed as floating cities in the sea …Many cities would be designed as total enclosure systems… Everything in these cities would be as near to a selfcontained system as conditions allow… Cities take on new and different appearances depending on how they are used. Each city is unique.”
“We don't view our projection of the twenty-first century as a final blueprint, and you shouldn't either. ..We hope you can improve our projection of future goals and the ways by which they may be achieved.”
“All are invited to participate, in whatever capacity they can, to help carry out the initial design phases of this new experimental city.”
Jacque Fresco.
Introduction.
The concept of resource-based economy is not just another proposal to be taken into account. Quite simply, theres is no other viable alternative to achieve an environmental and socially sustainable world that can be enjoyed by future generations perpetually. The market prevailing economic system calls for a "sustained economic growth" that results in more companies, more pollution, more invasion of natural areas and increasing population, regardless of the fact that space and resources available on planet earth are inevitably finite, which already threatens to cause catastrophic environmental damage and bloody social conflicts. Apart from that, the main incentive of the market economic system is the pursuit of profit by entrepreneurs, whose satisfaction involves a systematic and ongoing campaign of manipulation of the minds of citizens to turn them into mere products consumers.
Circular cities presented by the Venus Project, apart from its excellent architectural design, are proposed as the main seat for the populations of the future, not only because in them life would be more comfortable, and there would be be easier to concentrate a cluster of social and educational experiences corresponding to free, questioning, flexible and participatory minds, , but also because there would be easier the production and equitable distribution of goods and services, according to the global inventory of the resources available on our limited Planet Earth, which is the fundamental basis for the resource-based economy.
On this website we will outline three types of cities: The pattern circular city that characterizes the sustainable future world, free of relations previously established by the market system and governed by the system of resource-based economy; The circular experimental city which would function as an educational center and transition bridge between the market system and the resource-based economy system; and the modern city adequated to the resource-based economy system.
Being committed to the social changes that represent an alternative in order to build a sustainable global community respectful of human dignity and life on planet Earth, we set goals, that although very difficult to reach, be realistic, considering our condition of decidedly imperfect humans and the ancestral cultural resistance to change.
In that sense, and because the other alternative is to witness impassively the extinction of civilization as a result of environmental disasters or devastating wars, we declare that we set as a primary goal, the transformation of the global society in a sustainable system of relationships founded on the Resource-Based Economy. To achieve this purpose, we have considered the fulfillment of the following steps:
1. Creation of a model of the future circular city, in which real-life situations be presented, and about which videos and models would be elaborated to help to understand the life mode founded on the resource-based economy and to promote the transformation of the current global society.
2. Creation of a model of transitional circular city, hoping that it can be build in a real size structure, within which the general public could sensory experience the concepts presented in the previous videos and models.
3. Transformation of the current global society, maintaining and where possible improving the present urban infrastructure, until the implementation of a set of social, environmental and sustainable interrelationships, corresponding to a resource-based economy, is achieved. Once succeded this third stage, the world's population should have reached sufficient maturity to consider moving to more humane and healthier population centers.
1. Overview of the circular city of the future.
“Eventually the need to transport goods and services will also diminish. Products will be replicated and produced within one’s own community, and ultimately within one’s own home.” Jacque Fresco.
The circular city of the future would be an essentially self-sufficient urban entity as far as production and distribution of goods and services are concerned. It would have its own industrial base that would recycle unused materials and if necessary acquire raw materials in the global system of equitable distribution of resources. All manufacturing, agricultural, metropolitan and home processes would use sustainable materials and automated full state of the art technologies. Its inhabitants would enjoy the right of individual home ownership (house or apartment to live alone or with family, according to the particular liking), and all goods acquired for personal use. Other movable and immovable property of the city would be collectively owned, on whose management all adult people would have equal right to decide, which also apply to all matters of public interest. An equable system of right of access to goods and services that encourage accountability in the management of resources would be established (details in numerals 4 and 5).
2. Overview of the transitional circular city.
“A circular city would be a transitional phase and could evolve from a semi-cooperative money-oriented society to a resource-based economy.” Jacque Fresco
One of the primary goals of the Global Venus Project is the construction, real scale of a transitional circle city model, which essentially fulfill the pedagogical function of demonstrating the feasibility of a way of life based on the resource-based economy .
Transitional circular city would have all physical and functional characteristics of the circular city of the future, in terms of sectors present in it, the technologies used and the relationship of humans with the urban system. It would differ from that, in in the sense that it would be a recreational and educational theme entity, open to the general public and would require the entry of monetary resources to finance the purchase of raw materials for the production of goods and services.
Visitors to the transitional circular city would cancel an amount for use of the facilities, and would opt for a guided tour of all sectors, or at a higher price, spend the night and be part of the daily life of the metropolis, conveniently attended by skilled personnel.
They could also buy some of the goods produced locally and self-sufficiently.
The property of the whole complex could be exclusive of The Venus Project as an institution, or shared semi-cooperative way.
3. Overview of the transformed present city.
While the initial proposal, but not inflexible, of The Venus Project is that it is cheaper to build new cities instead of the transformation of the existing ones, it is essential to take into account the fact that any change process of global dimensions, requires the support of the vast majority of the planet's inhabitants. This support can only be achieved progressively, given the ancient cultural resistance to change, and also requires the acceptance of the proponents, of our condition of intelligent but imperfect beings. Therefore, the best starting point are the current cities, considering their present infrastructure and their customs. The fundamental idea consists in achieving a gradual mentality change, until every established nation achieves the maximum possible technological self-sufficiency, to the point that it can provide its inhabitants with all necessary goods and services, as part of a global and solidary Exchange of knowledge and raw materials, according to global inventory of natural resources sustainably available, which is the cornerstone of resource-based economy. Only then, you might consider building completely new cities, environmentally and humanly beneficial and sustainable.
4. Detailed description of the circular city of the future.
4.1. Distribution. (Based on the designs of the Venus Project)
4.2.1. Energy sector
Composed of electricity and heat generators which would use various sources of sustainable and available power in the area, namely wind (wind turbines), sun (solar panels or heat concentrators with flat or concave mirrors), subsoil heat (central geothermal), methane (digesters), vegetable alcohol, hydrogen (for direct combustion or use in hydrogen fuel cells), moving water (hydraulic generators using dams, river currents, waves and tides) and wood gas, among other possible.
Because they are not sustainable or represent a potential serious danger for life, the energy from oil and its derivatives, as well as the energy derived from the fission or fusion of atoms, are discarded.
4.2.2. industry Sector
Represented by raw material warehouses and factories that would produce all the goods required for the operation of the city, namely processed foods; medicines; cosmetics and toiletries; textiles; footwear and clothing accessories; electronic devices; electrical devices; utensils and mechanical tools; transport; building materials; and packaging, among others possible. This sector would be automated on the widest possible scale, and no human being would effect routine tasks, repetitive work or night shifts.
Note: When the animations and models of the proposed circular city pattern be developed, representing situations of real life, the goods manufactured by the industrial sector shall consist of those which are present massively in the world market (with no mention of any trademark) at the time of the audio-visual exhibition, as long as they do not represent a deterioration factor for the environment, so the message of the resource-based economy reaches the general public in a friendly way, with the help of elements that are familiar to them, so as to avoid distrust and disbelief that might arise from the presentation of futuristic elements which do not exist yet, or still are in the experimental stage.
4.3. Agricultural sector.
Basically, food for humans would be of plant origin. The main reasons are the following:
-The Plants are healthier for the human body.
-The Agriculture produces more food, in a much smaller space than livestock.
-According to the UN, cattle flatulence around the world represent 18% of emissions of carbon dioxide, one of the main causes of global warming.
-The Livestock contributes greatly to the destruction of the world's forests and soil erosion.
-The killing of animals for consumption, implies an act of violence improper of civilized and peace lovers beings.
Crops of the agricultural sector would be held in hydroponic systems (preferably vertical type for reasons of economy of space and materials), which have the following advantages:
-They considerably reduce Production costs.
-They do not depend on the weather.
-They allow the Production of crops out of time (season).
- They require much less space for increased production.
- They represent water saving up to 90%, as this is recycled.
- They represent a saving of fertilizers and insecticides.
- They do not use agricultural machinery (tractors, harrows, etc.).
- They represent more hygiene in the handling of the crop, from planting to harvest.
- They minimize the presence of parasites, bacteria, fungi and pollution.
- They produce earlier crops.
- They represent a possibility of almost complete automation.
- They eliminate the problem of soil erosion.
- They solve the problem of production in arid and cold areas.
- They facilitate cultivation in cities and private homes.
-They get uniform crops.
-They do not use animal organic fertilizer.
- They use natural and clean nutrients.
- They permit the use of water with high salt.
In addition to food, the agriculture sector would also generate medicinal, cosmetic and aromatic plants, as well as plant fibers for the production of tissue, and cultivation timber, among others.
4.4. Recreational sector.
“… which consists of lakes waterfalls, all kinds of beautiful plants throughout the area… is utilized for recreational activities such as biking,… hiking etc.” Jacque Fresco.
Activities in the recreational sector would be uncompetitive, individual or group type.
“They enjoy competing against themselves. They would find it repulsive to compete against each other. Such a battle would prove nothing. It could only be damaging in some slight way.” Jacque Fresco.
There it could also be practiced swimming, boating, outdoor meals and camping, among other possible activities.
The water areas of the recreational sector would also work as a reservoir of freshwater for activities in other sectors, and would be supplied of the vital liquid by rain water collection systems, deep wells and nearby rivers.
4.5. Residential sector.
“Each home is immersed in lovely gardens isolating one from another with lush landscaping…” “Each house is concealed by plants so you can't see another building. Some people prefer … to live in apartment houses.” Jacque fresco.
Those who wish it, may also grow on the ground of their home, fruit trees, vegetables, medicinal, aromatic and other plants and raise animals.
The homes would be equipped with all the mechanical, electrical and electronic tools that were required to make them comfortable places, and as energy self-sufficient as possible. They would be built with sustainable materials, and its roof and windows would be formed or covered by solar panel generators.
Every adult citizen would enjoy the right to own, individually, a house, and to share this privilege with one or more persons.
4.6. Center for goods and services.
“The central dome or theme center will house the core of the cybernated system, educational facilities, access center, computerized communications, networking systems , health and child care facilities… centers for cultural activities such as the arts, theater, exhibitions, concerts …”
“CENTER FOR DIALOGUE. The directive of The Center for Dialogue would be to submit the urgent issues of the times to critical examination…” Jacque Fresco.
The cybernetic system would control all activities connected to it, such as the process of inventory, purchase and use of raw materials, the automated operation of the devices present in all sectors of the city (energy, industrial, agricultural, recreational, residential and in the center of goods and services itself) and communication systems.
Educational facilities would cover all levels, from kindergarten up to university level, each equipped with the most advanced educational tools, according to the degree in question, including, in the advanced stages, laboratories of electricity, electronics, chemistry, physics and biology as well as metalworking and construction workshops, among others.
There also would be cinemas and restaurants, in addition to hotels to host visitors from other cities.
The center of access to goods and services would be an establishment in which different personal items of all kinds, according to the established regime would be acquired (this point will be considered more fully below).
The architectural design of the buildings of the center of access to goods and services would allow to add or subtract structures to or from them. In addition, like the houses, they would be constructed with sustainable materials, and its roof and windows would be constituted or covered by solar panels generators.
5. Various aspects of the world of the future.
5.1 Acquisition of raw materials globally.
All the supplies (mainly mineral products) for the production of goods and services in each circular city, would be provided by the united global system of distribution of raw materials, according to global inventory previously made. Extraction procedures, initial processing and delivery of materials, would be supervised and executed by an international agency created specifically for this purpose, which headquarters and sub-headquarters would be found located at strategic places on the planet earth. They would have adequate facilities for their purposes, and would obtain goods and services from nearby circular cities. Officials working there would be selected and supervised by the citizens of all circular cities of the world. To this end, all the activities of this body would be of the public domain via the Internet in real time. The officials staying in those facilities would be provisional, so that they would only occupy the assigned housing without property rights over them. This international organization would have the means of transport and machinery that be necessary for the performance of its functions, including drilling deep wells to obtain groundwater and to the production of geothermal energy. Also, it would be responsible for rail transport of passengers and vehicles.
5.2. Exploration of outer space and the oceans.
Such activities would be conducted by two international organizations, which, in addition to the functions inherent to their specialty, also would be responsible for air and sea transport, respectively, for civil use. They would work under conditions similar to those of the entity responsible for the global distribution of raw materials, with its offices, sub-offices, appropriate installations, specially trained staff, and sufficient resources to carry out their functioning conditions. These three would be the only institutions with a truly global character and would be justified by their special field of action. The rest of the research and production activities in any field of human endeavor, could be done by universities and qualified personnel present in each of the circular cities of the world.
5.3 System for resources distribution in the circular cities.
There is no doubt that the monetary system that prevails in the world leads humanity to the way of its destruction. Driven by the profit motive, this system promotes an exponential growth of economic values that lead to pollution and progressive depletion of the ecosystem; to uncontrolled population growth; the generation of inequalities which cause crime and social explosions; and manipulation of the minds of individuals to curtail their enormous capacity for personal growth, entangle them in a suffocating maze of financial traps and bring them to the undeveloped condition of mere consumers.
To face this situation, emerges the concept of resources based economy, according to which the goods and services required by the inhabitants of planet earth can be produced from a global inventory of resources, based on which would be determined how many people, and under what conditions, would enjoy, on an equal footing, a satisfactory and sustainable life throughout time, that could be transmitted from generation to generation infinitely.
That would imply, for the sake of humanity, the solidary distribution of all the Earth resources among all human beings; the end of private enterprises, of the profit motive, of trademarks, of unfair advertising campaigns and of activities created for manipulation and oppression of people, such as advertising and banking.
“It is a holistic socio-economic system in which all goods and services are available without the use of money, credits, … or any other system of debt or servitude.” The Venus Project.
Given our condition of imperfect beings, at least in the initial stages of the new civilization, the distribution of goods and services among residents of the circular cities should be regulated by mechanisms to ensure the responsible use of them. For this purpose it is proposed the assignment, to anyone over age and under conditions of equality for all citizens, of a unit for the acquisition of goods and services, of electronic management, simple and open to citizen oversight, which we might call "the point", to give an example.
With the exception of educational services, and health goods and services, to be unconditionally offered to citizens, the rest of goods and services may be acquired by a certain number of points.
Each adult person would be assigned a monthly amount of points, determined by the assembly of citizens, enough to buy the goods and services that would allow lead a comfortable life. These points would be managed by individuals at their own discretion and under their sole responsibility.
5.4. Transport.
Inside the circular city: blood drive: pedestrian, shoe skates, skateboards, scooters, bicycles, and others. With an electric motor or compressed air: The above mechanical devices and: motorcycles, cars, Segways, and others.
To travel to other cities: All of the above, plus railways for transporting passengers and vehicles (initially the traditional type, and then, if feasible, maglev trains), and non-fossil fuel-powered aircraft (airports would strategically located in key regions of the planet).
For recreation: Kayaks, sailboats, paragliders, delta wings, electric motor boats and others.
5.5. Sustainable materials.
Concrete is a relatively sustainable material, taking into account its availability, durability and capacity to be recycled. However, cement production, one of its main components, requires in its elaboration, the deforestation of natural areas, and generates significant amounts of CO2, along with particles in suspension and some adverse to health solid waste. Therefore, it should be continued to use, but only in those sectors where its use is recommended for practical reasons, namely the industrial sector, the residential buildings and the constructions in the goods and services center.
For households, and the recreational sector, there is a wide range of sustainable materials such as adobe construction; cold bricks produced using bacteria or CO2 and epoxy; stone, cultivation Wood, and others.
For the paving of roads, local mineral materials stabilized with bioenzymes or biopolymers, among others, would be used.
To build hydroponic greenhouses, buildings, vehicles, and various devices used in all sectors, would be used, for practical reasons, aluminum, steel, glass and bioplastics, relatively sustainable materials, taking into account also (as was done in the case of concrete) the corresponding environmental considerations from deforestation, soil erosion and polluting waste generation.
5.6. Waste management.
Residential, municipal and industrial wastewater would be recycled in its entirety. Organic materials contained in them would become into methane gas for burners, or composted.
Solid or semi-solid organic waste would be transformed into compost.
Food, medicines, and various items would be stored and transported in glass containers and cloth bags, among other sustainable containers. There would be no disposable cups, plates, cutlery or containers of any kind.
Bio-plastic casings of electronic devices, appliances and others, would be recycled at the end of its useful life.
5.7. Use of wood.
Only wood from forest crops cultivated for this purpose would be used, principally in the construction of residential or recreational infrastructure. To reduce the negative environmental impact that these plantations could cause, and optimize the use of agricultural spaces, papermaking from wood would be reduced to a minimum, to which greatly would contribute the widespread use of electronic devices for handling of writings, photographs and illustrations.
5.8. Atmosphere, oceans, lakes, rivers and forests.
Natural areas consistituted by atmosphere, seas, lakes, rivers and forests, would be the common heritage of humanity, protected as a fundamental life support, and capable of being explored by all the inhabitants of planet Earth for scientific, recreational or food purposes, as circumstances allow in each particular environment.
5.9. Occupations of citizens.
Individuals would be free to engage in the work of their choice, and according to their inclinations. Available tasks would be very different: technical, research, educational, maintenance, medical, artistic and various crafts (shoemaking, sewing, barber, gardening transportation, and many others). As a general rule, and since all citizens would have the same possibilities of purchasing goods and services enough for a comfortable life by the points system indicated in numeral 5.3, these activities would be conducted on a voluntary basis, having as incentives the fact of working in an occupation according to the vocation, the satisfaction of providing a service to the community, public recognition, the opportunity to attend workshops, conferences and related with people of similar interests, among others. However, especially in the case of practitioners of various crafts, they could require the from the applicant of their services, and in respect of the use of materials or workmanship, the payment of a certain number of points, which, as already explained, would be managed freely by everyone, according to his or her own discretion and under his or her sole responsibility.
5.10. Decision making.
All decisions concerning the public interest would be taken by the fifty percent plus one or more of the adult population of the circular city, who constitute the assembly of citizens. nevertheless they could organize deliberative meetings in the center of dialogue, consultation and feedback regarding the matters to be placed under consideration, would be made via Internet, in a page created for that purpose. If necessary, they could delegate the power of decision to a board of representatives, but provisionally, since the final decision would always be dictated by a majority vote of the assembly of citizens.
There would be no politicians, government officials, lawyers, judges or laws. Just a basic code of rules created by the assembly of citizens and which can be modified at any time when it so decides.
5.11. Public order.
There would be no armed forces. The abundance of resources, lack of money, and the favorable conditions of life,would lead criminal incidents to a minimum, and would make unnecessary the presence of law enforcement agencies. However, for any possible cases in which there were violence between peers, excepting the fact that any citizen could intervene as a mediator, it could be could also be created a specialized civilian corps of citizen security, which would take care to avoid disagreements reach higher , and if consummated facts, to place the offender in custody until the council of representatives or the assembly of citizens decide what steps to take. To that end, and when the severity of the attack require it, there would be a re-education center in which the required educational or medical care would be provided under the circumstances. This security corps would answer for their actions before the Council of Representatives and the assembly of citizens.
5.12. Education.
The educational system of the circular city would focus on key areas such as science in general; resource-based economy; World citizenship ( it would not be encouraged any patriotism or regionalism, so there would be no flags, national anthems, nationalities or travel restrictions between the cities on the planet); physical health (bodily activity, balanced diet, importance of sleep); Mental health (self-esteem, positive values, rules of courtesy, sexual culture, relationships, family coexistence, parenting, dealing with friends and strangers, standards of living in the circular city, importance of recreation); promotion of reading and writing, and others. The study of history would be done through video and museum exhibitions, and artistic activities would be optional subjects offered in suitable premises for it.
5.13. Communication systems.
All media would be wireless. The quintessential communication system would consist of Internet, through which could tuned a virtually unlimited number of websites, television channels and radio stations from around the world, thanks to the use of satellites. Also, there would be presence of local and satellite digital telephony and radiotelephony.
There would be no open signal television or radio stations saturating and polluting the airwaves.
5.14. Film, radio and television production.
Basically the radio and televisión programs (interviews, shows, documentaries, series, movies, etc.) would be made by amateurs around the globe and transmitted via the Internet. There would be not the corporations that own media. With no private spaces for the installation of gigantic studios, the great cinematic superproductions, plenty of special effects, would also be carried out by amateurs around the world, using the most advanced digital animation systems.
5.15. ID.
For all purposes, and at global level, the fingerprint (one or more as appropriate) would be sufficient in carrying out any diligence. There would be no identification documents whatsoever.
5.16. The value of freedom.
Of all the positive values instilled in people from childhood, perhaps liberty is the most precious, because it represents the sense of humanity in its highest expression. Therefore, in the future world, and not forgetting that the limit for individual rights ends where they start harming the others rights, the principle of freedom would be defended at all costs, in order to achieve complete and fulfilled human beings free to think, express, make, dressing, moving, love; Eating, drinking and consuming in general; conceive or disrupt conception; when deciding to live.
Today Societies, so crammed with economic, political and religious prejudices, have used the violation of freedoms as a perverse source of domination of some individuals over others. When we really learn to respect this fundamental value, we will be able to say that we are truly civilized beings.
NOTE: The idea of this more or less detailed exposure of what would the future world be, is to serve as a starting point for conducting exhibitions, videos and models, and also to function as a modest contribution to another key goal of the Global Venus Project, which consists of making a blockbuster film that shows how life would be for all human beings on the planet, if the system of resource-based economy were implemented globally.