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Oh nothing, just the end of this world...
"The bottom line for our species is that because of population growth and the fivefold economic expansion since 1950, the environmental demands of our economic system now fill the available environmental space of the planet. This has brought us to a historic transitional point in the evolutionary development of our species from living in a world of open frontiers to living in a full world—in a mere historical instant. We now have the option of adjusting ourselves to this new reality or destroying our ecological niche and suffering the consequences.
Our problem results from acting like cowboys on a limitless frontier when in truth we inhabit a living spaceship with a finely balanced life-support system."—David C. Korton
posted by Indigobusiness @ Saturday, March 01, 2008
6 Comments
6 Comments:
I think part of the big problem is that we can't comprehend the numbers. I can't comprehend how much corn is produced to feed the population, and I can't comprehend the oil it takes to grow it, and I can't comprehend the waste we're pumping into the environment.
Back when everybody was living in small communities, you could comprehend the gardens and the number of chickens it took to feed the local village, and you could see the amount of wood it took to warm houses over the winter. And when the local forest thinned out, you could see that too many trees were being cut down, and when the creek stank, you could see too much waste was being pumped in. But now, the food and energy is imported from somewhere out of site, and the waste is hauled away, and we've arranged our lives so we don't have to connect the dots. And thus, most don't bother, and keep speeding toward the cliff.
Joe- We seem to have hitched our wagon to the wrong star with a dependency on corporate farming and it's systematic stripping of real nutrients from the soil. Not to mention topsoil erosion and a distribution method destined to fail at some point.
We are already at the edge of knowing somewhat what New Orleans went through after Katrina, on a wide scale.
Don't worry, be happy -they tell us.
Food will soon be too expensive to eat. I'm growing asparagus, tomatoes, peppers and watermelons...to eat and to barter.
At least there's water here.
Mom and Dad had a big garden growing up, and I hated having to put up the strings to grow the beans on, and every year when we watched Wimbledon, it was with a big batch of purple-hull peas to shell, and all the corn to silk...hated it. Now, like you, I'm thinking it might be a good time to revive the practice in my own backyard, albeit on a more reasonable scale than my dad who seemed to be in competition with my grandfather on who could have the biggest garden every year.
Have you guys heard of transition towns? Setup by rob hopkins.
www.transitiontowns.org
That's a great initiative, Treac.
I've always supported such an approach. Those trying to promote sustainable living are truly worthy of high respect (there's lots of small, organic growers in these parts) I can't help but wonder how well they'll sustain when the other fraction runs low on food?
Joe- I've always found it magic to grow a plant from a seed, ever since it was first shown to me when I could barely walk. And being able to eat the stuff grown is a bonus. I've evolved to even eating the flowers...squash blossoms and day lilies in salad, etc.
The key to growing stuff is keeping it fun, and manageable. It's amazing how much food can be grown from a small garden.
I guess it's human nature to grow too much and make it a grind to keep up with. I've learned my limits, and it's always a ton of fun. Plus the food I grow is so ALIVE it gives you a buzz. Can't say that about the stuff from the store.
I've always said "I've always" too much, as well.
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