Idea: Building Atlantis

There are approximately 7 Billion people on Earth today and usable land is dwindling rapidly. We are constantly destroying mountains and forests to acquire new land for society and it is only a matter of time until we destroy planet Earth beyond it's or our ability to repair the damage. Add to that the exorbitant amount of pollution and toxic waste we produce each year and it will not be long before our Planet is in dire conditions. With over 70% of our planet being Oceans that are relatively unstudied and unpopulated I have for years contemplated how we could utilize the Oceans for our homes and save/reforest our planet.

There are several key things to consider when contemplating building a City/State on the Ocean. It needs to be able to withstand even the most severe Tropical Weather and Hurricanes. It needs to be Green with little to no waste or pollution. It needs to be completely self sufficient. It needs to be movable in case of Sub-Oceanic earthquakes or volcanic eruptions. It needs to be able to create sufficient fresh water for all its occupants, live stock, plants, etc. Lastly, it needs to be modular so it can be built in stages and expanded as needed.

With that said I have a rudimentary design in my head that would consist of a fleet of ships approximately 200' long and 100' wide and 100' tall (50' below sea level and 50' above sea level). These could be built at most larger ship yards and would all be identical with numerous locking mechanisms around the outside of the ship. Each ship would be equipped with Electrical, Sewer, Garbage, Communications and Transportation systems built in. Each ship would have it's own fuel storage and propulsion systems as well and each ship would be equipped with underwater Hydro Turbines capable of generating power from ocean currents flowing beneath the assembled City/State. Once a hundred or so of these are built they are all taken out to deep water, locked together to form a platform for the new City/State to be built upon. Once locked together they are air/water tight.

They can be locked together to form a massive City Center to build skyscrapers on, with arms that radiate out from the center that will eventually contain: Airports, Recycling Facilities, Manufacturing Facilities, Scientific and Medical Research Facilities, Marinas, Space Ports and so much more. Because each ship is equipped with Transportation systems (Subways) everything is with easy reach of the city center.

Upon the City Center you build 100' tall (15 Story) buildings that go all the way around the outside edge of the city center. These buildings differ from conventional buildings as the are not completely vertical but slowly arch towards the center of City Center as they rise into the sky. Think of it as if each new floor of the building is offset a few feet from the floor below it. Once the buildings are all complete, each offset section is transformed into Green-space for gardening and then all the offsets are covered in a super strong translucent material like Lucite to protect the Green-space from Salt Water Contamination. This forms a Wind/Water tight dome over the City Center that can withstand Category 5 Hurricanes and makes use of every bit of available outside space for Growing Plants, Vegetables, Trees, etc. At the very top of the City Center, where the buildings do not quite meet is a Translucent Dome a couple hundred feet wide that seals the dome but lets plenty of sunlight and starlight into the City Center. Around the outside of City Center (where each arm stretches out) are giant Hurricane Proof Sliding Doors that can be opened/closed depending on Weather Conditions. This allows people to walk freely inside and outside of the City Center in good weather conditions.

Inside the City Center (under the dome) is a huge park and community garden where enough food is grown to sustain the entirety of the population of that City Center. Just underneath that (inside the ships that form the City Center) is the livestock area where Chickens, Goats, Lamb and other small animals are raised to provide meat for the city. Fishing will also be a large part of the City/State and can be done from numerous areas on the arms of the city or from boats docked in the marina.

As the population of the City Center starts reaching maximum sustainability additional City Centers can be built and attached to various arms radiating from of the initial City Center. Each new City Center will then in turn have its own arms radiating from it. Arms can be added to each City Center as needed based on what is needed, be it Manufacturing, Recycling, Waste Water Processing, etc.

Additionally, Wind Turbines similar to what I described here can be installed throughout each arm that are retractable (withdrawn into the ship and covered) in severe weather. Between the Wind Turbines and Hydro Turbines enough electricity can be produced to sustain the City/State. Additionally, all connected ships making up the City/State can have their there propulsion systems controlled from a central point so if the city needs to move it can be done easily.

As more and more people leave their land based existences to move to the new City/State teams can be sent out to expunge mankind's impact on the land and begin restoring the land to its pristine glory before humanity jacked it up. Each City/Center will have it's own local Democratically Elected Government, it's own Police/Fire/Health/Education Departments and make and enforce its own laws. Once multiple City Centers are built and Occupied a National Government will be elected to Unite and Govern over the various City Centers. Basically each City Center will become it's own Country answerable only to an oversight board I would call The New United Nations.

Additionally, all basic necessities of life, like Housing, Water, Electricity, Health Care, Education and even Food would be FREE to ALL CITIZENS of all City Centers in Atlantis. Everyone who wants to work can do so and the money they earn can be used for Clothing, Furniture, Entertainment, etc. Families that work hard and save their money can UPGRADE to larger, more lavish residences as new City Centers are built.

There will be no Currency (paper or metal) like traditional Countries but all City Center's will use and accept a new Crypto Currency similar to Bitcoin. Citizens who attend and graduate from one of the many Higher Learning Centers in Atlantis will be eligible for FREE BUSINESS LOCATIONS if they want to: start their own business, research new advances in Science, Health, etc., invent new products, theories or techniques and so on.

The more of the ocean surface that is covered by new City/State members of Atlantis the less frequent severe Tropical Storms and Hurricanes will become as they will occupy and disrupt the areas the weather forms in. There is a theoretical limit to how big each City/State member can reach before completely new (disconnected) City/States will have to be built. I am guessing that each City/State member could be 10 miles in Diameter with 20-30 City Centers housing 500,000 to 1 million people in each City/State.

As additional City/States are built routine Nautical and Air routes will be established to keep them all connected for travel, trade, tourism, etc. Wireless and Satellite based connections will be established between each City/State to keep them connected (Internet 2.0). Each City/State would have it's own Coast Guard, and Civil Defense Forces (Army and Airforce) to protect and serve the citizens of that City/State and they would be governed by The New United Nations.

Leaders of Each City Center and City/State would be elected every four years with a maximum of 20 years (5 terms) in Office. Leaders of The New United Nations would be elected from ALL CITY/STATES every 5 years with a maximum of 20 years (4 terms) in office. The Leaders of The New United Nations would have to have prior experience in Law Enforcement, Coast Guard or Civil Defense to be Eligible for Office and have been a resident of Atlantis for at least 10 years (to take effect 10 years after first residents occupy first City Center); whereas leaders of City Center's and City/States can be anyone who has been a resident of that City Center or City/State for at least 5 years (to take effect once the City Center or City/State has been occupied for at least 5 years).