Solving Problems That Are Expanding Exponentially

I haven’t seen my old high school friend Bruce Wilson (pictured) since we graduated 45 years ago, but I’m happy to say that we’ve reconnected with one another, at least via phone and email.  He was a kind, non-violent sort back then, and it didn’t surprise me, shortly after I launched 2GreenEnergy in 2009, that I learned that Bruce had been hard at work in applying his skills as an engineer to making the world a better place to live, with his status as a certified LEED Contractor (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Accredited Professional).

Better yet, his focus on his clients’ present-day, real-world building projects doesn’t keep him from looking towards a bright future, made possible by massive improvements in technology, and the way that humankind conducts itself on this planet.  To that end, here’s an article Bruce told me is a “must read” on expanding our thinking to deal with problems that are enormous in scope.

While, it’s very good, and I recommend it as well, I can’t resist a wise-ass comment on the statement made by the director of Stanford’s ChangeLabs, “you cannot solve exponential problems with linear solutions.”  It actually depends on the slope of the line and the exponent in question.  Something growing at 10% per year doubles in size every 7.2 years, meaning that linear growth at only 14% accomplishes the same, at least for those 7.2 years.  Put alternatively, it’s possible for linear growth to beat exponential growth for a period of time long enough that the entirety of the problem has either evaporated or changed so dramatically that a qualitatively new approach is required.

Of course, I’m just being pedantic.  The gentleman has an excellent point, and the article really is an eye-opener.