LiveWorld Transcripts

Whole Foods presents

Bruce Sterling, Science Fiction Writer
Earth Issues

December 30, 1999

Whole Foods presents Bruce Sterling, who discusses health issues concerning the Earth, technology, our planet, the future, green issues, and pollution.

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HonCCC: Tonight we'd like to welcome science fiction writer, Bruce Sterling! Chat with Bruce about the possibilities of drawing Earth toward a greener future. Hi Bruce! .

WF-Bruce: Hello.

HonCCC: Bruce, can cultural activism armed with art, design, and engineering, save the planet?

WF-Bruce: Aw, the planet doesn't want to be "saved". But I think it will make things a lot more interesting. I always distrust people who talk in terms like "salvation."

WF-Paisley: Have you had a lot of buy-in for your plan in the manifesto?

WF-Bruce: I guess it depends on how you define the terms. It's not like Microsoft launch or anything. It's not an NYSE-busting IPO. It's just a great chance to spew new ideas.

WF-Paisley: Your high tech business connections with their networks - are people starting to plan their growing businesses around greener planning?

WF-Bruce: Oh yeah. No question. www.sustainablebusiness.com, www.pewclimate.org, bpamaco.com, Ford Motor Company, Royal Dutch Shell. There's a lot of "corporate green" around these days. One might as well include Real Goods and Whole Foods while one's at it.

WF-princhipesa: I want to know your general views on what you think is going to happen in the new millennium with our Earth and technology?

WF-Bruce: Well, my general views occupy about twelve books and counting so far. Specifically, I'm devoting the year 2000 to sheer punditry. Getting out of the fiction business entirely; I'm just going to preach, prophesy, criticize and predict. I'll never see a better opportunity. It's what people want!

WF-Pandora: What is Viridian Manifesto? I have briefly read something about this on the Internet but don't know exactly what you're talking about.

WF-Bruce: Well, there are two of them, actually. There's a manifesto I wrote back in October 1998 called "The Manifesto of January 2, 2000." Then there's an actual manifesto that I plan to release on January 3, 2000. They're mostly answers to the pressing questions "What's really going on? And what should we do about it?"

Dreemkill: Bruce, did you think back in '98 we would have flying cars in 2000?

WF-Bruce: Flying cars are dangerous, brittle and boring. But there's some pretty cool inflatable aircraft around. It's not about the techno limits; it's the legal limits and safety limits that keep airplanes out of your garage.

CCChakra: In your opinion is there enough time to make the necessary changes to save the Earth from results of the major pollution and de-foraging that has taken place?

WF-Bruce: There's been major pollution and deforestation for thousands of years. We've got it right now and we're going to have more -- the question is how much? I'm more interested in RE-foresting the wastelands we have now than in passively "saving" things.

HonCCC: Bruce, I couldn't agree more!

WF-Bruce: I don't think we'll have much left if we concentrate on a defensive posture. We should reforest whole cities. God knows Paris is going to have to try it, since something like 6,000 trees have been destroyed there in the past week by so-called "freak weather". www.O2.org

WF-Fire: What do you think will be the major catalyst to get people moving in the "Viridian" direction?

WF-Bruce: Oh, all kinds of catalysts -- the need to feel chic is the one I'm most interested in. I think fashion and faddism is the great under-exploited Green technique. People need to junk all their ugly stuff and buy cool new Green stuff. If it's redesigned properly it'll jump off the shelves. It just needs to seem attractive and obvious. Under no condition should people be stiffly lectured into it.

HonCCC: Bruce, what are the most glamorous methods for producing renewable energy that you've seen in your travels?

WF-Bruce: Oh, I'm quite fond of my new, federally subsidized solar panels here at the "Viridian Vatican." I was up on the roof just last week, tenderly sponging them off. Siemens Solar makes them. They're really cool-looking, big silicon movie-poster-sized things. Silent. Gleaming. No moving parts

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