Ben Lackey

“The Wright Brothers lifted off in 1903,” he says, “but by 1908, only ten pilots had ever flown. Then they traveled to Europe to demonstrate their aircraft and inspired everyone. The aviation world changed overnight. Inventors began to realize, ‘Hey, I can do that!’ Between 1909 and 1912, thousands of pilots and hundreds of aircraft types were created in thirty-one countries. Entrepreneurs, not governments, drove this development, and a $50 million aviation industry was created.”
― Peter H. Diamandis, Abundance: The Future is Better Than You Think

“The London coffee-houses provided a gathering place where, for a penny admission charge, any man who was reasonably dressed could smoke his long, clay pipe, sip a dish of coffee, read the newsletters of the day, or enter into conversation with other patrons. At the period when journalism was in its infancy and the postal system was unorganized and irregular, the coffee-house provided a centre of communication for news and information … Naturally, this dissemination of news led to the dissemination of ideas, and the coffee-house served as a forum for their discussion.”
― Peter H. Diamandis, Abundance: The Future is Better Than You Think

“Toilets account for 31 percent of all water use in America.”
― Peter H. Diamandis, Abundance: The Future is Better Than You Think

“Right now, in America, 70 percent of our water is used for agriculture, yet 50 percent of the food produced gets thrown away.”
― Peter H. Diamandis, Abundance: The Future is Better Than You Think