[ExI] Serious topic

[Mike Dougherty]

On Sun, Feb 27, 2011 at 10:06 PM, spike <spike66 at att.net> wrote:
> If we look around us, everywhere I see astonishing energy waste, just
> because energy is cheap and plentiful.  Oil is still so cheap it strangles
> out most alternative energy sources.

I have long wondered why we are still spending so much engineering to
build UP the cities, rather than burrowing into the earth.

I imagine that after the engineering logistics are worked out, the
main complaint from the proles would be the lack of natural light.
Aren't fiber optics able to carry sunlight into subterranean parks?
How much does it cost to heat a single-family home (on average) in the
northern half of the US?  How does that compare with extra cost for
lighting a constant temperature subterranean equivalent?

I know there are facts and figures available on the Internet that I
could quantitatively answer these questions.  I expect to be chided
for not doing so myself.  My intent was not to begin a research
project as much as contribute to conversation with a (potentially)
interesting idea.  Forgive me in advance if this idea was already
discussed and discarded in 1992.  :)