What is the future of our planet? What is presently shaping the Earth of our future? Sometimes it seems like the problems facing the planet are too big to be tackled by one individual, one family, one community, or even one country. Even our expansion as a species poses problems. Overpopulation threatens to diminish greenbelts in favour of urban development. The impassioned pleas of climatologists, engineers, educators, and youth continue to fall on obstinate ears. Truly, this is some food for thought.
The Vauban District of Freiburg, Germany may be a small district. But it has gained renown worldwide for being one of the most successful models of an ‘eco-neighbourhood’. The district was built to be as environmentally-friendly and self-sustaining as possible. The Solar Settlement in the district is a group of 59 homes. It became the first housing community in the world to produce more energy than it consumed. The Solar Settlement produces so much energy that excess electricity is sold to the local electricity grid. The Solar Settlement residents keep the income.
The Vauban District is also innovative in its approach to transportation. Everything in the area is designed with cyclists and pedestrians in mind. Residential streets are free from parking spaces and visiting vehicles can only perform pick-ups and deliveries. A tramway links the Vauban District with the nearby town center. Imagine not having to pay for electricity because all the power you consume is generated passively from the solar panels on your roof. Imagine a neighbourhood where there are no cars and no roads. Could this be the future model for successful communities?
What will the future of work look like? There is a current brain drain on specialists in priority fields like technology. These educated and skilled professionals are leaving their hometowns to work in megalopolises. Would this diaspora continue if remote work became more ubiquitous? Would it result in a lethargic global population, where everyone remained at home? Or could it help resolve some leading causes of climate change?
Remote work could make transnational interactions an option for a greater number of people. But will English continue to be the lingua franca of international communication 50 years from now? Will more, or less languages be spoken in the future? What languages should you know for your future? Well, it all depends on your goals. If you'd like to be able to speak with as many people as possible, you'll want to be fluent in Chinese and Spanish. If you want to do business with the largest economies of the future? Chinese will still help you, but you might want to trade that Spanish textbook for a Hindi one.
Maybe you're interested in a career in healthcare or social services instead of business. If so, you're probably hoping for bold changes in your field. The 20th century saw large strides in both areas in Canada. But in both Canada and throughout the globe, a lot of work remains to be done. People in so-called first-world nations like Canada continue to be abused or neglected. Globally, around 1 billion people go without seeing a healthcare specialist because of access or availability. We previously considered the impact that revolutionizing food systems could have on social justice. What changes in healthcare could lead to vast improvements in the lives of more people?
Artificial Intelligence is already used to quickly locate data records, analyze illness, and create medicines. And virtual reality is being used to train surgeons to perform operations much more effectively than traditional training methods. Likewise, augmented reality can also be used to help medical professionals train to care for humans. These technologies allow our healthcare experts to learn to be more effective, with less risks!
Some people worry that technology will soon outstrip its human creators. They worry that robot labour could create a rise in unemployment. They worry that Artificial Intelligence will enslave us. They worry that virtual reality will replace our zest for life. But these are all half-truths. Our future continues to be shaped. It needs bold, conscientious, and creative problem-solvers if it is to surpass the present.