{"id":82525,"date":"2016-09-19T14:21:00","date_gmt":"2016-09-19T14:21:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/resourcework2.devstudio.work\/?p=82525"},"modified":"2024-11-29T14:03:40","modified_gmt":"2024-11-29T14:03:40","slug":"cpu-economy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/resourcework2.devstudio.work\/?p=82525","title":{"rendered":"Why are natural resources like the “CPU” of the economy?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

It is impossible to imagine modern society without minerals, fibres and fuels. For places (hint: British Columbia is one of them) that not only consume but also produce resource commodities, this thought has profound implications.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It’s a given that people need resources, so the challenge of our times is how humanity can continue to produce resources on a long-term basis while sustaining the quality of life that citizens will always require.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At a recent meeting of the Resource Works Advisory Council, founding member and economist Professor James Brander of UBC offered a compelling and challenging analogy: that the resource economy is like a computer’s CPU. If that momentarily takes you aback consider that the job of a central processing unit is to provide the foundational functions of running your laptop. Without one, nothing will get done. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

It’s a timely metaphor, coming as cities everywhere confront some gigantic challenges that point to the need for innovation and smart use of resources. Next week is Smart Cities Week<\/a>. It’s also the annual meeting of the Union of British Columbia Municipalities<\/a>.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

We like the idea and it’s one that will be explored in greater detail. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The central processing unit of a computer provides the basic logic and operations to run the machine. 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