Healthy soil and sustainable growing

["TradingPostPaul" <tradingpost@riseup.net>]

Try reading our list purpose. Debate that elsewhere.

paul, tradingpost@riseup.net

*********** REPLY SEPARATOR  ***********

On 7/3/2006 at 1:30 PM Greg and April wrote:

>Perhaps it's because I see ethanol as more sustainable than fossil fuels
>and 
>fossil fuel use as the greater threat to the environment.
>
>Greg H.
>
>
>----- Original Message ----- 
>From: "Dan Conine" <dconine@dotnet.com>
>To: <livingontheland@lists.ibiblio.org>
>Sent: Monday, July 03, 2006 10:46
>Subject: Re: [Livingontheland] op-ed piece on ethanol
>
>
>>I agree with Mark here. There are a lot of factors which are ignored in
>> the ethanol debate which I think shouldn't be. The problem which is
>> manifest is overconsumption and eventual collapse of a species. We need
>> to look at the Net Creativity of the human species, and what usefulness
>> we create vs. what we consume in resources. The idea that we have to
>> feed the desires for liquid fuel at all costs is the first that should
>> go. The second is the idea that we cannot reduce population pressure on
>> politicians. The third is that everyone gets to enjoy the slovenly life
>> of America's Dream with white picket fences and pesticide laden lawns.
>> The construction of an ethanol plant alone isn't worth the lost cropland
>> in it's footprint. The problem with feeding corn to cattle isn't
>> necessarily that people could eat the corn, but that the cows aren't
>> healthy. There is a fundamental flaw in feeding high energy foods to
>> cattle. They evolved to eat low energy foods, and they create a net gain
>> for the ecosystem when they do so.
>> Not only do I agree with Mark's statement "Just because we can do
>> something, doesn't mean we should.", I also think that we need to think
>> about doing the things we should do, and that they need to be done
>> RIGHT. The ethanol that will be produced by all that corn could easily
>> be replaced by a small reduction in fossil fuel use. The only farmers
>> who will benefit from growing large quantities of corn are the ones who
>> do it 'efficiently', which means without fences, cattle, or people on
>> their land. To be good stewards of the land, we have to be ON it.
>>
>> Dan Conine
>> Belgium, WI,
>>
>
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