Working Together to Measure, Conserve and Sustain
In order to become sustainable, we must renovate our global economy. That’s why we developed a system where producers along the supply chain pay for the environmental damage they create. These payments are then immediately used to protect the environment and restore environmental damage done. To minimize or prevent such payments, producers will invest in equipment that does not (or much less) damage the environment. This both saves money and increases marketplace competition. With this system, we can achieve the following:
- Greatly increase the market for conservation (carbon sequestration and wildlife areas)
- Reduce surface area usage
- Revolutionize building and heating systems
- Increase access to electric vehicles
- Make it easier to consume less meat
- Make it easier to conserve water
- Decrease dependence on harmful chemicals
- Recover and return soil to their original lands
- Maintain a healthy population size
- Protect low-lying areas from flooding
- Improve labor conditions across the world
With respect to global warming, the combination of reduction of carbon dioxide emissions and the installation of equipment for capturing (and safe underground storage) of carbon dioxide from air, would allow Earth to become net carbon neutral in about 15 years, if this equipment is installed as fast as possible. Even stronger, in that case we could remove all excess carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and stop global warming in 35 to 40 years. The costs can (almost) entirely be paid out of fossil fuel savings. Participating consumers and producers thus save money. The more people participate, the faster we all become sustainable. There are no true limitations other than the will of consumers to participate in this system.
The same applies to all types of environmental conservation (wildlife area / biodiversity, soil and water).
Our Story
All projects start small, often with a single person. In many cases, a single-person project grows into a large group project quickly. In other cases (like for this project) the subject matter is harder to fathom and includes a variety of scientific disciplines. When I started thinking about sustainability, I realized that its various aspects need simultaneous problem-solving in order to offer an effective solution. I visualized how all environmental variables could be determined for each product and service using a singular calculation system.
From September 2013 onwards, I started working full-time on the project. Fortunately, my education (advanced degrees in organic chemistry and biochemistry from Leiden University and in chemical engineering from Delft University of Technology) and my strong interest in anything scientific, technical or calculable facilitated the work to be done. Along the way, a dozen family members and friends with advanced scientific degrees were willing to proofread various documents and provide feedback while others were available to give general advice.
From the start of this project, it was clear that a singular global system was needed to transition back to sustainable global conditions. In addition, it was clear that significant funds would be needed to start up and maintain this global system over the foreseeable future. A good intellectual property position would allow the best starting position for the first twenty-year period. For that reason, all who read any documents related to the project signed non-disclosure agreements.
The downside of this confidentiality is that nothing was published or communicated in any form and no one (including the scientific community) is aware of the development of this system. In order to not lose valuable time, the communication of the Environmental Impact Measurement And Conservation System (or EIMACS) needs to be accelerated among all stakeholders. To be successful, the project must rapidly expand from a single individual with unpaid support of family and friends to a global project run by paid professionals. In the interim still “unfunded” phase, we need to rely on highly motivated individuals and organizations to help propel this project forward on a voluntary basis. Expansion is needed both in “width” and “depth”— we need to rapidly expand the number of people who understand the concept and potential of the EIMAC system from a few to increasingly larger numbers in the shortest possible time span.
We also need in-depth help from scientific organizations to peer review various calculations and texts at a pace unusually rapid for academia.
For a variety of reasons, a hybrid organization (combining for-profit and charity organizations) appears to be the best overall structure, but this organizational structure still needs to be set up.
The above group of volunteers will form the basis of the start-up team needed. Earth is running out of time. A team like this would allow us to reach the challenging objectives set out below and allow Earth and all its species to return to sustainable conditions.
Drs. Ir. Vincent Dert