Imagine that roughly half the population between the age of 15 and 40 in affluent countries is suddenly wiped out by a very aggressive disease, for which it takes over a decade to find a cure. As a...

Imagine that roughly half the population between the age of 15 and 40 in affluent countries is suddenly wiped out by a very aggressive disease, for which it takes over a decade to find a cure. As a consequence, a large number of businesses will not have an educated, skilled workforce available to them and the global economy would be severely affected. What are some of the other problems that the world might face as a result? Can these challenges also be viewed as an opportunity for innovation and economic development?

a. What do you think the effect of your technologies will be on resource demand and environmental systems?

b. Is this your problem, your company’s problem, society’s problem,or nobody’s problem? Does your answer depend on where yourfirm is located? Why or why not?

c. A friend knows that you are working on these technologies, and

asks you whether you think what you are doing is “sustainable engineering.” What is your response?