We humans live in temporary conditions. It is true that the Earth we've known through documented history has always been compatible with human life, but what if our environment was totally destroyed by an astronomical event?
To be sure, if we are not prepared to live in artifical environments, then any event which destroys our environment also destroys humanity. If we accept that all of our resources are finite, including access to natural habitats which sustain human life, then our survival depends on our ability to create and maintain artificial environmental systems.
The international space station, for example, is a self contained artificial living environment. Though it isn't completely self sufficient, one could make the case that in time, advancing space technologies could result in the creation of fully self-sufficient space stations. Such self-sufficiency would depend on our ability to recycle every form of matter and energy that our living environment processes.
Ultimately, nearly everything would need to be recycled, in order to have a truly self-sufficient renewable habitat. Today, we have the luxury of a natural habitat which precludes an obvious need to recycle human wastewater. But its a luxury that will eventually expire.
The point I'm trying to make is that if you assume humanities time on Earth(as we know it) is limited, then it is only a matter of time before we WON'T have the choice but to recycle the waste. So honestly, this isn't a discussion about IF, but WHEN.
Recycling for survival
We humans live in temporary conditions. It is true that the Earth we've known through documented history has always been compatible with human life, but what if our environment was totally destroyed by an astronomical event?
To be sure, if we are not prepared to live in artifical environments, then any event which destroys our environment also destroys humanity. If we accept that all of our resources are finite, including access to natural habitats which sustain human life, then our survival depends on our ability to create and maintain artificial environmental systems.
The international space station, for example, is a self contained artificial living environment. Though it isn't completely self sufficient, one could make the case that in time, advancing space technologies could result in the creation of fully self-sufficient space stations. Such self-sufficiency would depend on our ability to recycle every form of matter and energy that our living environment processes.
Ultimately, nearly everything would need to be recycled, in order to have a truly self-sufficient renewable habitat. Today, we have the luxury of a natural habitat which precludes an obvious need to recycle human wastewater. But its a luxury that will eventually expire.
The point I'm trying to make is that if you assume humanities time on Earth(as we know it) is limited, then it is only a matter of time before we WON'T have the choice but to recycle the waste. So honestly, this isn't a discussion about IF, but WHEN.