19 votes

We broke phosphorus: Humanity is flushing away one of life's essential elements

3 comments

  1. [3]
    acdw
    Link
    It seems like humans are really good at breaking cycles -- we can get resources to the exit point, but we suck at returning them back to the entrance, which is just as important, if not more so.

    It seems like humans are really good at breaking cycles -- we can get resources to the exit point, but we suck at returning them back to the entrance, which is just as important, if not more so.

    6 votes
    1. [2]
      Comment deleted by author
      Link Parent
      1. kilroy
        Link Parent
        I'd say need a way to include the end life of a product in the initial cost to reduce our usage now, and then try to get off the planet.

        I'd say need a way to include the end life of a product in the initial cost to reduce our usage now, and then try to get off the planet.

        4 votes
    2. onyxleopard
      Link Parent
      Sometimes we can manage to engineer our way out of the cycle, or at least to a point of sustainability. I highly recommend The Alchemy of Air as it goes through the history of another essential...

      Sometimes we can manage to engineer our way out of the cycle, or at least to a point of sustainability.

      I highly recommend The Alchemy of Air as it goes through the history of another essential component for fertilizer: nitrogen.

      3 votes