First Draft

This post is home for ideas for the "Practical Utopia" project. It is constantly under revision and open to comments. I call the scenario "Bow River." It will focus on my hometown, Calgary, with an eye on the general region known as "Western Canada." (Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba) and the "North" Yukon Territory, etc. Raw materials do not appear magically. Extreme shortages of materials we now take for granted (such as steel and copper) and problems transporting materials from the rest of the world must be built into the scenario. We assume a virtual collapse of the international supertanker industry.

ASSUMPTIONS

This is "quality" Science Fiction. As much as possible, math, engineering, and physics are consistent. For example, the 2nd Law of Thermodynamics still applies, as do all the physics of climate. The climate is consistent with known climate models.

CLIMATE

The climate is assumed to be sub-tropical, similar to the current-day Amazon basin.

Rainfall is abundant

Water from glaciers (current) has been replaced by water from aquifers, carefully maintained.

The arctic ocean is clear of ice year-round.

Innuvick, at the mouth of the Mackenzie river, and Churchill on James Bay, are major port cities. Vancouver and the Frazer valley are of diminished importance for reasons outside the scenario's detail. It is not a significant part of the "Bow River" economic zone.

A significant seal level rise (to be determined) has wiped out all previous port cities. A specific amount may be specified in the 100-foot order of magnitude.

POPULATION

We assume a population of 30 million, roughly that of current Canada. This is partly due to massive in-land migration from the sunken cities, immigration from regions no longer inhabitable and economic opportunities in the region. On the other hand, the birth rate is far below the "replacement" level.

This implies several cities have populations of over 1 million in the region, including the new ports in the now-open Arctic Ocean.

ENERGY & RESOURCES

Energy is abundant but, compared to today, expensive. Nuclear reactors are the leading sources of energy. Windmill farms have been torn down--recycled for copper and steel. There are many creative uses of solar energy. Fossil fuels still play a role where portability is important, such as in heavy mobile machinery and mechanized agriculture. In many cases, energy is needed locally, too far from the "grid." 

Imported raw materials, especially copper, are extremely expensive, making the expansion of the electrical grid correspondingly difficult. Similar considerations apply to electric cars, which have been completely re-engineered to reflect general shortages of raw materials. Privately-owned electric cars are unthinkable.

AGRICULTURE

The region can feed itself, but exports are hampered by the disappearance of ocean-going supertanker traffic. Sadly, it doesn't pay to feed the world.

Virtually the whole area, right up to the Arctic coast, is open for agriculture, although this is still a "work in progress," similar to what happened when the region was opened in the 19th century. At that time, infrastructure is the key - mainly railroads, now expensive to build due to a shortage of raw materials.

Agriculture's actual "work" is automated, including robots of all shapes and sizes.

VIRTUAL REALITY

SECOND LIFE (SL)

We will create a 3-d "walk around" model in a Second Life "region." The virtual "land" will cost approximately $150 per month. A budget of $100 per month for virtual materials should be more than adequate. That's a target of $3,000 to "break ground."

I could handle this level of funding out of pocket, but my experience in bleeding-edge technology tells me that if nobody wants to pay for it, it's probably not a great idea. So I would be looking to split the expense or rent property in the model. Renting has the additional benefit of creating realistic living spaces on a small scale (houses, gardens, clubs, businesses). Residential accommodation, along with social interaction, could be an incentive for project members to spend time actually living in the model.

Practically speaking, the scenario should be fleshed out first, a group established, then work could begin on a "Bow River" region in Second Life. Help with the actual building and general management is more important than the funding issue. 

The region's target for "breaking ground" would be January 2024. At that point, it should be possible for funding for a full year to be set aside.

I may check my existing SL contacts and form a group within SL to discuss ideas and perhaps throw up some prototypes.

IN BOW RIVER - VR AND AR

From the viewpoint of residents, much of the "space" in BR is "virtual." Residents can make their own virtual home(s) in spaces of their own choosing, with or without "company." I envision a VR version of Second Life. Virtual space is cheap.

Telepresence ("being in some other location") overlaps with being in virtual spaces - augmented reality.

Most "shopping" is done in a virtual space of some kind. "Retail" spaces are unknown except for specialty markets. 

Physical delivery is automated, but citizens tend to own a lot less "stuff." They own a lot of virtual "stuff," such as books, which take up no space. There are many communal spaces that replace private plots in 21st-century North America.

Cities exist because of our desire to be close to each other but with spaces designed for privacy or group activities but VR and AR reduce the need for "face-to-face" encounters. Thus, people can be physically located without being tied to a "workplace." Scenic small towns scattered in the mountains are popular.