- ...in the seventh year shall be a sabbath of rest unto the land...
- Leviticus 25: 4
As my readers know, this is an economic and political blog. However, they also know that I believe any good idea should be utilized no matter the source. The old testament is rarely used or mentioned today. The words might even seem foolish if taken literally. We live in a 24/7 world. With that said, consider our world. It is in big trouble in more ways than one, especially our climate.
Back to Biblical Wisdom
Remember these are suppose to be God's words. If you are a pagan or other belief, consider the words from a wise source. As a Gentile, and almost all Christians are, we are not strong on bible history. Consider, this is ancient times. Farming is king. The words found real usage later in history as farmers realized that leaving a field fallow paid big dividends in its future use.
Today
We have rising oceans that are also getting warmer. There are all negatives here. We get floods on islands and coastal areas. We lose food with the death of fish. The water can become contaminated and give off water-borne diseases. This hurts everyone. Not good.
Weather
The summers are getting hotter. This effects health. This hurts farming and then, our food supply. It also adds inflationary costs. It can force huge migration of people. Everyone cannot move to Europe and the US. The climate also sparks wildfires which are getting worse-and-worse all over the planet. It can cause huge increases in insects. These pests eat everything from our food to leaves on trees. They eat our wood and their toxins can cause all of us medical harm. The heat melts the glaciers to which cause the rising sea level. Nothing good here.
Wildfires
People say that the warming climate is responsible for the many and hotter wildfires. I think one solution is to thin the forest. Create more logging jobs and regrow what is cut. However, as it stands, the smoke from these disasters is affecting everyone's health for the worse. Not good.
Alternative Energy
We hear a lot about the green revolution. Maybe this is our extension of the bible's words for our time? We are giving the land a rest. We take less coal, less oil and strain on the land's resources. We allow the air to cleanse itself. With that said, we are only in the really innings of finding and using other forms of power.
Electric cars, energy, et al.
Back in the early days of the automobile, steam power was used in making the first cars. Even Ford took years before he perfected his combustion engine. We are in the early days of the transition to electric vehicles. Let's talk truth! Electric cars do not run well in cold weather. There are no charging stations and when you recharge, it takes forever. We need all these advances before the transition can be complete. We need real investment.
The good news is the many other ways we are developing this power from planes to ships and of course, drones. These cameras in the sky have provided many benefits. The usages will grow in time.
Solar
This is another US invention that other nations have reaped the benefits. We need to pass laws in every state that forces builders of edifice's of more than four stories to have solar roofs. In this way, we save energy. We create high paying jobs and develop an industry. However, there is a dirty secret in solar. There is dangerous run-off from weather. Like the electric car, we are also in the early innings of solar. It needs more development. There is room to grow and grow better. This is hope.
Wind Power
Farms in the 1900 century all had windmills. Holland was king and still is today. We all should ask them for guidance in this field. Like the other forms of power mentioned above, this field too is in the early stages. They need better design to swivel with the changing winds in different seasons. They need to be more efficient in many ways. They need lighter and stronger components. They need more investment to make the future a little brighter with another industry of quality jobs and life.
Water
We have serious water problems from polluted aquafers, rivers and wells to drought conditions in the West. My water idea could solve this and more. It could end flooding along many rivers. The Biden infrastructure bill will address many issues, but water needs its own focused investment.
Recycling
The idea started off great, but has lost all of its early hope and steam. No one knows what to recycle as packing has changed along with each region having a different policy. We need a uniformed, national approach along with a new dedication. This is a great idea that needs to be started in school programs as part of science subject, once a uniform approach is finalized.
Live in Love
All of us need to stop and reflect. Our personal infrastructure needs an overhaul. We are not a homogeneous society. We are an experiment. However, our experiment has been a great success even with the many bumps along the way. We are hitting rocky ground and the asphalt to smooth out the ride is love. Let's try more patience with each other and it begins with ourselves, live in love.
The bible in the top scripture goes on to mention that in the fiftieth year, everyone should rest - be with family and give thanks, a Jubilee Year. The US is in the 35th anniversary of the seven year format. Let us hope that in years to come, we can celebrate the wisdom of His words and do right with the land. Peace
