top of page

By 2040, the air and water are clean, food is healthy, and weapons are banned.

Anonymous

April 26, 2023

By 2040, the air and water are clean, food is healthy, and weapons are banned.

This image was generated with Dream Studio AI.

In 2040, the air and water will be clean, no one will have to go hungry, no weapons will be manufactured, and all wars will be over. All people - from politicians, business representatives, researchers, and bankers to employees, children, and pensioners - are involved in a circular bioeconomy which prevents emissions that pollute the environment, harm health and cause climate deterioration.

Renewable Organic Materials derived from plants, animals, microorganisms, and their excrement are only handled in the following local systems connected to "smart grids":
• "Non-Sewage systems" with hygienic and easy-to-handle devices for collecting both food and toilet waste - that prevent emissions which are polluting air and water, and facilitating the return of plant nutrients and organic carbon compounds to cultivated land - contributes to a) carbon storage, b) increased biodiversity of soil organisms, c) increased soil water holding capacity - as well as several other factors that are positive for soil fertility, while gray water is purified locally with biological methods.
• Sustainable biological transformation methods for Renewable Organic Materials in residues and waste are used in order to utilize bioenergy and all the essential chemical elements in ecologically, economically, and socially sustainable ways.

Unsustainable thermal methods such as combustion, thermal gasification and pyrolysis of Renewable Organic Materials as well as unsustainable chemical methods are banned.

Instead of manufacturing equipment for military purposes, all resources are used for continuous improvement of equipment that reduces the over-utilization of natural resources and thus benefits the CIRCULAR BIOECONOMY.

Gray water from settlements, treated with biological methods, is reused for irrigation in urban farms and parks and farms around cities as well as for fountains and for water-games.
------------------

Background

In 2021, political decision-makers and company representatives have begun to seriously realize the transition to a knowledge-based sustainable society. It started with media pressure when journalists launched campaigns in collaboration with conscious and committed citizens.

Information was disseminated about an SBRS concept, which in short is about
• saving water
• saving the arable land
• increasing energy efficiency
• reducing costs when the environment, health and climate are positively affected.

The "SBRS concept” stands for "Sustainable Biological Recycling System" and consists of using the following innovative types of equipment to be able to use sustainable methods:
• hygienic and easy-to-use devices for collecting food and toilet waste without diluting with water
• digitized logistics for everything related to Renewable Organic Materials, that was previously handled unsustainably in waste and sewage systems
• local high-tech biogas plants to produce biogas and biofertilizers
• local biological water treatment of gray water from households
• trigeneration for the conversion of energy in biogas to electricity, heating/cooling, etc.
• upgrading of "digestate" to biofertilizers.

The basis of all life is photosynthesis. In plants, the sun's radiant energy is converted into BIOENERGY with the help of at least 16 chemical elements (S. Pettersson, 1984). Carbon (C), oxygen (O) and hydrogen (H), which make up about 96% of the plants' dry matter, come from carbon dioxide (CO2) and water (H2O). The other 4% that must be present for photosynthesis to work are nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), potassium (K), calcium (Ca), sulfur (S), magnesium (Mg), manganese (Mn), boron (B), iron (Fe), copper (Cu), chlorine (Cl), zinc (Zn) and molybdenum (Mo). In later literature, a few more elements are mentioned.

When facts about basic conditions for cultivation systems became widely known, it increased our understanding of food production without consuming or destroying the fertility of the soil, i.e., its production capacity. It was noted that soil degradation continued for decades, before 2020 became characterized by insufficient recycling of the essential chemical elements and organically bound carbon back to cultivated soils.

Particular attention was paid to information from the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, which in May 2019 published that less than 2% of the plant nutrients are reused. It was an alarm clock that showed that 98% of plant nutrients becomes pollutants in our air and water, due to unsustainable handling of Renewable Organic Materials.

All air pollutants move around the earth, fall with the rain, and pollute water, soil, vegetation and create costs through health problems, destroyed buildings, etc. Growers were forced to buy imported mineral fertilizers, pesticides, and fossil fuels, which after the transition, that lasted until 2030, were produced in each country, and usually locally, to minimize long transports.

Both direct costs via tariffs for water and waste and indirect for environmental problems caused by using unsustainable methods and synthetic chemicals, as well as uncertain food quality and increased health problems in unhealthy working environments, were borne by the citizens, which created major protests in many countries. These resulted in the media disseminating information about ecologically, economically, and socially sustainable alternatives.

After COP26 in 2021, both politicians and business decision-makers, including legislators and banks, had to take the idea of a transition to a knowledge-based sustainable society seriously. Everyone under COP26 agreed that the most important thing is health and that it can only be achieved with measures where technological innovations, only in the absence of military purposes, prevent most emissions that pollute the environment and thus threaten health and the climate.

The main goal was to prevent costly losses of bioenergy and the essential elements of life.

In 2022, the entire arms industry began to be restructured to manufacture equipment used for conversion, instead of weapons, for the benefit of the environment and humanity.
-------------------------

In 2040, my oldest grandson will be 40 years old.

related stories

hallo
Jake to asi bude ta 25let
It's 2040, I've aged 15 years and medicine is moving forward incredibly thanks to AI and robotics and the development of new drugs. What was impossible to drive is now becoming possible and it will certainly save many lives, even if our lifestyle over the last 30 years has not been right due to the success of the times and stress. Care for the elderly is first class and available to anyone who needs it. It is no longer decided whether a person is poor or rich, the problem of each individual is dealt with correctly.
hallo
beznaděj
In 2040, every citizen of the Czech Republic has the right to intervene in electoral issues. People have enough money to eat, everyone has a job, and the young are entitled to many benefits to start their lives. Energy prices have finally come down and green space has grown significantly across the country.
hallo
Technický rozvoj a rozvoj AI
An ideal world, everyone working for one entity, the world interconnected and traveling from one corner of the planet to the other is a matter of hours. Faith will not be a problem, it will remove all violent ideas and promote human development and growth, not enslavement of humans in order for a small group of people to control their environment. There is already a permanently manned base on the moon and the foundations and possibilities of a Mars settlement are being built. Everyone is doing what they are interested in, the main work is being done by AI-driven technology. Unfortunately, times will probably be different. After Russia's war with Ukraine, the world will be divided into six major entities Europe, the US, Russia and the Asian group of countries and oil exporting countries. These groupings will be fighting over the planet's mineral resources, which will be depleting or in short supply. Everything will have, only an economic market character . Backed by military deterrence. Which means whoever has the greater economic influence and military power will rule with their commanding justice. Social ties will collapse and the divide between the classes will widen.
hallo
Vuonna 2040
I ride my hydrogen-powered bicycle all over Finland. Relatives, sights, experiences. I have met many people on similar bicycles on my journey. A great feeling of togetherness! We have remembered the time when similar journeys were made on electrified bikes. They have not been used for years. Hydrogen has replaced the use of electricity worldwide - despite the opposition of oil-producing countries. Cars, trains and other means of transport are now hydrogen-powered. With new, environmentally friendly technologies, I have started to travel abroad again. The development that started in Finland is most clearly visible in Europe. People seem to have regained their zest for life. Optimism has taken over. This is most evident in Africa, where food is being prepared in a way that takes account of the changes brought about by climate change. New varieties have been developed that can cope with less water, erosion has been corrected by planting trees and shrubs. The global shift towards plant-rich food is also reflected here in large green areas. In turn, basic livelihood security has brought greater peace. Weapons still exist, but their intensity effectively limits their use and increases the risk of conflict.
Join #OurFutures now!

The future is shaped by our ideas and our actions today. Tell us about your visions of the future and help us create a futures narrative aimed at inspiring citizens, policy-makers and foresight experts alike!

Our-futures-banner-coloured_v3.jpg

The European Commission support does not constitute endorsement of the contents which reflects the views only of the authors, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained.

ERA_logo.jpg

We support the European Research Area aimed at creating a single, borderless market for research, innovation and technology in the EU.

©OurFutures 2025, All rights reserved.

  • Instagram
  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn
  • YouTube
bottom of page