Appal Energy wrote:
> I have a really difficult time accepting the broadness of such a
> premise. I'm not exactly protein or lipid deficient on an almost
> entirely vegetarian diet, or at least my tailor keeps telling me
> so each time I take the Levis in for alterations.
>
> Todd Swearingen
Yeah, I have the same problem! I haven't eaten meat in almost 40 years,
but I lack the anorexic look most people associate with vegetarians. . .
(Neither am I exhibiting any signs of B vitamin deficiency or calcium loss in
my teeth!)
The conclusion of the post you responded to, however, is that we should
strike a balance in food production. Good farming that produces healthy,
sustainable yields depends on intelligent soil management. Intelligent soil
management includes pasture for animals, and the input of their waste to
maintain fertility. Aside from a few niche environments (deep sea ocean
vents, for instance), I know of no natural habitats in which plants and
animals do not coexist in symbiotic balance.
Should we engage in extracting fuel in the process--whether ethanol, oil
crops or cellulose for burning--we have to calculate total system inputs and
outputs in order to address the viability of a given approach. I think this
will depend on the climate, soil, and farming practices peculiar to a
region. I sense this can be done, but the math wearies me. . .
But biofuels make little sense if we don't address larger issues
pertaining to land and energy use. First of all, we eat too much meat, and
instead of using the whole animal for food and clothing, we grind up a good
portion and feed it to the next generation of cattle. (I'm unaware of any
carnivorous ungulates in nature!) My father in law tells me that in the "old
days", he would butcher a cow and use EVERYTHING, including the bones (for
soup stock). Now, we're only eating muscle tissue, and most of us in North
America eat way more of this than we need. (Thanks, in part, to the American
Dairy Association who convinced us that half of our diet should consist of
meat and dairy products.)
Petroleum is too cheap, and we've grown far too accustomed to using vast
amounts of energy to sustain our lifestyles. We could be a great deal more
efficient with local production and distribution. However, I don't think
we'll address this issue until we're faced with a crisis. (Then people will
get mad, and we'll start dropping bombs, shooting missiles, and generally
increasing the world's already excessive misery!)
Further, I just read in the ACRES publication a claim by some Chinese
bureaucrat that his nation is planting millions of trees in an attempt to
undercut the prices paid to apple farmers in the Pacific Northwest. Local
farmers are ALREADY suffering from overseas competition with cheaper labor.
And thus, the "race to the bottom" continues. . .
I'd better stop before I really get passionate. . .
robert luis rabello
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