Digest Number 669

I think we're mostly looking at different eras. I think you're looking at
the construction shack era, or maybe the first few years of Island One. I
was thinking more about the era of routine use of asteroidal resources.

Yes, I agree that Island 1 and probably even Island 2 will be importing
things like pencils (probably toilet paper, too) from Earth. Fortunately,
those kinds of things don't weigh a lot.

Being anything other than frugal with wood-based items would imply local
forestry, which realistically would probably only become a reality several
decades into the era of High Frontier.

Regards,

Mike Combs

From: Bob Hardman [mailto:Bsanctuary@...]
Sent: Tuesday, July 08, 2003 10:07 AM
To: spacesettlers@yahoogroups.com
Subject: Re: [spacesettlers] Digest Number 669

Re: Frugality vs a "High Standard of Living"

Mike,

I have no quarrel with what you are saying, except to say that you are
missing the point.

I have no doubt that the entity, Gov't or Private, which sends the 1st
colonists will spare no
[reasonable] expense ;-] to make the workers, and eventually their
families, comfortable.

But how comfortable? Look around you, at home, or in the office. How many of
the objects with which
you are surrounded are worth their weight in lift costs... -Could they be
reproduced in Space?

Sure, but each item requires not just materials available in Space, they
also require dedicated engineering personnel, manufacturing equipment, etc.
How much of this can be justified when the primary purpose is providing a
product. e.g., Solar Energy, -and making a profit?

An example comes to mind which is illustrative but otherwise not very good
i.e., "The Pencil".