re: Uh read the quote
"I think the odds are very good that the lifetime of technological civilizations that don't expand into space is short."
Sadly, I think that that may well be so.
Sure we as a species could be far more efficient using Earthside resources but these finite resources have limits more easily reached, even at high efficiency of utilization. Then there's the risk of something going unexpectedly and badly wrong with all the eggs in one highly optimized basket. Not wise.