A theoretical exploration of humanity’s past, present, and future through the symbolism of salt and symmetry.
Energy Shifts (Return to Source)
02.16.24
By Vivien Lee, Senior Copywriter at Landscape
“Sophie is not only a philosophy but nature herself. Mining isn’t a violation of nature’s secrets, but a release of them. You must imagine that in the mines you reach the primal sons of Mother Earth, the age-old life, trapped in the ground beneath your feet.” —Jostein Gaarder
Long ago, our initial encounter with fire captivated us, sparking a trance-like state marked by alpha waves that awakened an immense intelligence within. Resembling the third eye, flames take on the shape of an upward-pointing triangle. Architects have regarded the triangle as the strongest shape due to its inherent stability and design. Balance, as they say, holds the key to all aspects of life, often manifesting in the “law of three”. Prior to the industrialized era of our current big three, coal, oil, and gas, our ancestors harnessed the power of wind, water, and the sun for energy. Amidst significant technological progress and the consequences of climate change, we’ve regained an interest in these sources. Although the industry labels them as "new energy," they are anything but new to humanity. Our ability to adapt to them and mitigate future risks, at a rapid scale, is crucial nonetheless.
Isak Dinesen once articulated another principle of three, suggesting that the cure to anything is salt water: sweat, tears, or the sea. Sodium-ion batteries are presently emerging as a solution to a significant obstacle in renewable energy: storage. Leveraging the natural abundance of its components, these batteries harness sodium derived from seawater. Additionally, salt caverns, discovered within salt mines, contribute to specific decarbonization initiatives by serving as adaptable spaces for underground carbon capture and storage.
The word "mine" holds two distinct definitions: one refers to the excavation or extraction of minerals or value, while the other denotes possession or ownership, translating to that which belongs to me. The word "resource" implies the supplying of provisions, originating from Old French roots conveying an additional meaning: to rise again. I think about how the act of gathering and receiving is an ancient, feminine practice—baskets resembling the womb. In one of my favorite essays by Ursula K. Le Guin, "The Carrier Bag Theory of Fiction," she suggests that the initial cultural invention might have been a receptacle—a container of sorts, instead of a weapon of domination:
“We have not heard about the thing to put things in, the container for the thing contained. That is a new story. That is news. And yet old. Before—once you think about it, surely long before—the weapon, a late, luxurious, superfluous tool; long before the useful knife and ax; right along with the indispensable whacker, grinder, and digger—for what’s the use of digging up a lot of potatoes if you have nothing to lug the ones you can’t eat home in—with or before the tool that forces energy outward, we made the tool that brings energy home.”
We force energy outwards. What carries energy home?
A while back I discovered the theory of the Kardashev Scale. Originating in 1964 from the mind of Russian astrophysicist Nikolai Kardashev, this scale serves as a yardstick for assessing a civilization's advancement by measuring its accessible energy resources. According to Carl Sagan, our status is approximately 0.7 on this scale, implying that we have not yet reached a position to be formally situated on it. Physicist Michio Kaku anticipates that the forthcoming century of scientific advancements will determine our success or failure as a civilization. The question remains: will we stay at our present level of development, or will we advance to explore the universe, eventually harnessing energy from our own stars? As societies progress, the demand for energy increases due to expanding populations and evolving technologies. We find ourselves at a pivotal juncture.
Our future trajectory heavily relies on wisdom inherited from the past, coupled with the ability to envision beyond the present. Across history, salt has become a modest table seasoning with profound impacts on civilizations and the planet. Analogous to how doctors caution our consumption habits regarding this simple spice, we must remind ourselves along the path of advancement: nothing in excess. Achieving this journey relies on infrastructure and resource as well as approach, requiring a balanced equilibrium across all domains, leading us toward intrinsic harmony.
Recommended listening:
Pop by GAS
Recommended reading:
Salt by Mark Kurlansky
A few of our clients pursuing the journey:
Peak Energy
Ava
Gravity
Albedo
Long ago, our initial encounter with fire captivated us, sparking a trance-like state marked by alpha waves that awakened an immense intelligence within. Resembling the third eye, flames take on the shape of an upward-pointing triangle. Architects have regarded the triangle as the strongest shape due to its inherent stability and design. Balance, as they say, holds the key to all aspects of life, often manifesting in the “law of three”. Prior to the industrialized era of our current big three, coal, oil, and gas, our ancestors harnessed the power of wind, water, and the sun for energy. Amidst significant technological progress and the consequences of climate change, we’ve regained an interest in these sources. Although the industry labels them as "new energy," they are anything but new to humanity. Our ability to adapt to them and mitigate future risks, at a rapid scale, is crucial nonetheless.
Isak Dinesen once articulated another principle of three, suggesting that the cure to anything is salt water: sweat, tears, or the sea. Sodium-ion batteries are presently emerging as a solution to a significant obstacle in renewable energy: storage. Leveraging the natural abundance of its components, these batteries harness sodium derived from seawater. Additionally, salt caverns, discovered within salt mines, contribute to specific decarbonization initiatives by serving as adaptable spaces for underground carbon capture and storage.
The word "mine" holds two distinct definitions: one refers to the excavation or extraction of minerals or value, while the other denotes possession or ownership, translating to that which belongs to me. The word "resource" implies the supplying of provisions, originating from Old French roots conveying an additional meaning: to rise again. I think about how the act of gathering and receiving is an ancient, feminine practice—baskets resembling the womb. In one of my favorite essays by Ursula K. Le Guin, "The Carrier Bag Theory of Fiction," she suggests that the initial cultural invention might have been a receptacle—a container of sorts, instead of a weapon of domination:
“We have not heard about the thing to put things in, the container for the thing contained. That is a new story. That is news. And yet old. Before—once you think about it, surely long before—the weapon, a late, luxurious, superfluous tool; long before the useful knife and ax; right along with the indispensable whacker, grinder, and digger—for what’s the use of digging up a lot of potatoes if you have nothing to lug the ones you can’t eat home in—with or before the tool that forces energy outward, we made the tool that brings energy home.”
We force energy outwards. What carries energy home?
A while back I discovered the theory of the Kardashev Scale. Originating in 1964 from the mind of Russian astrophysicist Nikolai Kardashev, this scale serves as a yardstick for assessing a civilization's advancement by measuring its accessible energy resources. According to Carl Sagan, our status is approximately 0.7 on this scale, implying that we have not yet reached a position to be formally situated on it. Physicist Michio Kaku anticipates that the forthcoming century of scientific advancements will determine our success or failure as a civilization. The question remains: will we stay at our present level of development, or will we advance to explore the universe, eventually harnessing energy from our own stars? As societies progress, the demand for energy increases due to expanding populations and evolving technologies. We find ourselves at a pivotal juncture.
Our future trajectory heavily relies on wisdom inherited from the past, coupled with the ability to envision beyond the present. Across history, salt has become a modest table seasoning with profound impacts on civilizations and the planet. Analogous to how doctors caution our consumption habits regarding this simple spice, we must remind ourselves along the path of advancement: nothing in excess. Achieving this journey relies on infrastructure and resource as well as approach, requiring a balanced equilibrium across all domains, leading us toward intrinsic harmony.
Recommended listening:
Pop by GAS
Recommended reading:
Salt by Mark Kurlansky
A few of our clients pursuing the journey:
Peak Energy
Ava
Gravity
Albedo