Are we destroying the planet to produce foods that are killing us? A case for sustainability on our table (organic, fertilizer)
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The moment you utter the word ‘sustainability’, the world pounces at you, to point out every little thing that is unsustainable about your lifestyle instead of appreciating the effort, no matter how big or small. It is imperative to understand that every little effort counts. The journey towards a sustainable lifestyle is about doing your little bit and does not force you to have an all-in or all-out attitude.
When talking about sustainability, food isn’t the first thing that comes to our mind, but it should. It’s a shame that we are destroying our own planet to produce foods that are killing us. By allowing this, we are empowering companies to profit from endangering our health and that of the planet.
As consumers, we hold a lot of power and the potential to bring about any change we want to see. We tend to forget, the chain always starts at the consumer level and what we purchase and eat is a direct reflection and contributor to how the system works. If one day we all woke up and demanded food that’s not packed with unhealthy ingredients and sustainably produced, the industry will also have to shift to cater to the demand. It is after all, a matter of supply and demand.
Somehow I knew their idea of foods killing us was meat and dairy, when its actually corn and refined carbs that are killing us, and the proof is what happens when you feed domesticated animals like cats, dogs, horses, livestock, etc. a high carb corn based diet.
Please tell us specifically what parts of modern agriculture are not sustainable?
The use of Petro-Chem fertilizers is NOT a sustainable practice.
The use of synthetic herbicides is NOt a sustainable practice.
Gene-splicing from animals and bacteria into plants, in the hope that one day we may be able to outperform organic crop yields, is NOT sustainable practice.
The use of Petro-Chem fertilizers is NOT a sustainable practice.
The use of synthetic herbicides is NOt a sustainable practice.
Gene-splicing from animals and bacteria into plants, in the hope that one day we may be able to outperform organic crop yields, is NOT sustainable practice.
I didn't ask for your fantasies.
Petro-chem fertilizers? Nitrogenous fertilizers are made by the Haber-Bosch process from Nitrogen in the air. The cheap energy is provided by fossil fuel, supplies of which will last 500 yrs+. More expensive nuclear energy can be used after that.
Mineral supplements are not made out of petroleum either.
Why aren't herbicides & pesticides sustainable? As long as we can make them, we can keep on making them. The only problem here is the natural evolutionary response of the targets: tolerance. We need to keep on finding new pesticides to keep ahead of the game. That's the way MotherNature does things. We're following suit.
Why isn't GMO sustainable? I suppose you object to the use of human insulin in treating diabetes too? That's made by the same gene splicing process used in making GMO crop seeds. We don't invent new genes. We use naturally occurring genes and put them into new species. It's an extrapolation of good old fashioned selective breeding. It won't be long before we use this technology to cure some human diseases.
I'll tell you one thing that may prove un-sustainable on the local level-- continued irrigation in CA's central valley which produces such a large part of our fruits & veggies. It's a naturally arid region, but it has remarkably favorable sunlight & temperatures. They need to exploit water sources from outside the region and that's leading to progressive salinization/alkalinization of the soil. No one is sure how long fertility can be maintained there or if new technology can be forthcoming to reverse the process.
... Petrochemical fertilizers are another name for the synthetic products because they are produced using large quantities of petroleum and other fossil fuels. Some common examples include ammonium nitrate, super phosphate and potassium sulfate.
Edited to add the Bold font.
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