Ask HN: Is continued globalization sustainable for planet earth?

1 pointob1gman1 comment

I can’t help but wonder if more (not completely though) self sufficient cities would be a good thing for the planet. Are other people thinking this too? Are there drawbacks that aren’t apparent from the surface? Is it just an unrealistic/utopian thought?

View on HN

I like bananas, but it's very difficult to cultivate bananas here.

Also there is no way the government will authorize a steel mill in the middle of a city with a few million people, and I need steel. (And there is no iron ore nor coal nearby.)

So here is the deal. We sell soy beams, and they sell us bananas, steel and cellphones.

Reply on news.ycombinator.com