Flying cars and bionic brains, or a more polluted planet and mind-control?
Is your vision based in fantasy or reality?
When is human imagination a helpful catalyst for change and when does it blind us to the realities of the planet we call home?
These sorts of questions can guide you to a vision of the future that you can play a role in creating.
As Mahatma Gandhi said, “Be the change you want to see in the world.”
Stuff
All our technological products come from somewhere and go to somewhere else when they no longer work — back into the Earth’s land, air and water. To understand the cycles of technological production, consumption and waste, watch this 20 minute video. It’ll give you a good idea of one aspect of the future that you can help with.
Story of Stuff with Annie Leonard http://www.storyofstuff.com/
Discover http://discovermagazine.com/
Discovery Channel http://dsc.discovery.com/
Future for All http://www.futureforall.org/
MSNBC http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3033055
NASA http://www.nasa.gov/news/index.html
New York Times http://www.nytimes.com/pages/science/
News of Future: Future
News for 2020 and Beyond
http://www.newsoffuture.com/technology/
Next Big Ideas in
Conservation: The Future of Protecting Nature
http://www.nature.org/tncscience/bigideas/
Popular Science http://www.popsci.com
Science News http://www.sciencenews.org/
Worldwatch
Institute: Vision for a Sustainable World – Worldwatch University
http://www.worldwatch.org/node/3942
CAUTION — when using information from wikipedia, be sure to verify in at least one other source the accuracy of information found. Wikipedia can be a very good resource, but it also is known to contain some inaccurate information.
The Wikipedia entries below present some interesting ideas regarding the future:
Sustainable design http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sustainable_design
Oil phase-out in Sweden http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oil_phase-out_in_Sweden
Appropriate technology http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Appropriate_technology
ProQuest http://proquest.umi.com/pqdweb?RQT=306&TS=1054581030
eLibrary http://elibrary.bigchalk.com/libweb/elib/do/search
Grolier Online http://go-passport.grolier.com/
NetTrekker http://school.nettrekker.com/subject/
usernames and passwords for
the above databases are on
the print version of this pathfinder
081 Dys Dyson, Freeman J. Imagined worlds. 1997. A professor at Princeton’s Institute for Advanced Study imagines the future.
304.2 Ber Berry, Thomas. The great work : our way into the future. 1999. A theologian discusses the great work needed to “carry out the transition from a period of human devastation of the Earth to a period when humans would be present to the planet in a mutually beneficial manner.”
330.9 Mea Meadows, Donella H. Limits to growth : the 30-year update. 2004. Questions the future of today’s prevailing world view that humans can engage in unlimited growth.
333.79 Rob Paul Roberts. End of Oil : on the edge of a perilous new world. 2004. Explores the ramifications of the fact that the Earth does not have limitless reserves of oil.
338.1 Man Manifestos on the future of food & seed. c2007. Challenges current agricultural practices, food production, distribution and consumption.
600 Bre Brennan, Richard P. Levitating trains and kamikaze genes : technological literacy for the 1990s, c1990. Brief descriptions of many different futuristic ideas.
609.73 Pat Patton, Phil. Made in U.S.A. : the secret histories of the things that made America. 1992. Histories of many technologies that were “high tech” in their time – some still used today.
621.38 Web Webb, Marcus. Telephones : words over wires. c1992. Past, present and future of the telephone.
629.222 Car Exum, Katilen Jay, editor The Car and its Future. 2004. A collection of essays exploring various aspects of the car and its future.
668.4 Gal Galas, Judith C. Plastics : molding the past, shaping the future. c1995. A history of plastic with speculations on its future uses.
746.21 Bra Braddock, Sarah E. Techno Textiles : revolutionary fabrics for fashion and design. 1998. Natural and synthetic fibers being used for “high tech” fashions.