A New Way to Save Energy
As described in the New York Times on January 23 of this year, colleges and universities are beginning to use "geoexchange" to heat and cool their buildings. They are doing so by drilling many holes deep into the earth on their campuses and installing pipes that will remove heat from buildings in the summer, cooling them, storing that heat underground; then drawing it back up during the winter, returning the heat when they need it. The installation process is quite messy but, once done, it is invisible; the lawns resume their usual tranquil appearance. This reduces universities' use of carbon-based fuels 60 - 90%. It also reduces their use of water, which has previously been used in steam pipes.
Students Are Ahead of Us
This is such a good idea that, when presented to administrators of these universities, there was no dissent. (The eventual financial savings will more than offset the initial cost.) What's more, students were demanding it. They were ahead of their administrators. Why are young people often at the forefront of new ideas? In situations such as these, they are more concerned about the future because they have more of it ahead of them. But there is an additional reason.
The Impact of Novelty
The younger we are (from birth onward), the more strongly every new perception is registered in our minds because of its novelty and the longer it takes before its novelty wanes. As we experience something repeatedly, it becomes less novel and makes less of an impact on us. And as we grow older, new ideas seem less new because we have so many previous perceptions that will be associatively related to that new idea. On hearing about "geoexchange" and its particulars, a senior citizen might think "That’s very interesting," a younger adult might think "What a good idea!" and a college student might think "WOW!" That impact will create a longer and stronger presence in the mind, making it more likely that an individual might act on it in some way: advocate for it, demonstrate for it, or even choose it as an occupation.
What About the Rest of Us?
Is it inevitable that as we grow older, we will react less and less strongly to new ideas? There's another factor that diminishes the clarity of our perceptions: mental static. Typically, the older we get, the more chronic discomforts accumulate in our minds, creating ever more mental static. Mental static interferes with our ability to perceive new stimuli as clearly and strongly as we otherwise would. But those of us who have an Inner Guide are in luck. Our Inner Guides work to gradually end all of our discomforts, greatly reducing our mental static.
As one who has had an Inner Guide for some time, I get excited when I hear about a good idea, and it's a source of great pleasure. When I hear or read about a problem, I often begin thinking of how I could help solve it. But then I remind myself that I must focus on my own project: helping more people acquire their own Inner Guides. Speaking of which:
If you haven't yet acquired your Inner Guide, you can do so here:
https://emotionalcomfort.com/blog/post/you-can-acquire-an-inner-guide-part-4
