Healthy soil and sustainable growing

[Daniel Conine <dconine@bertramwireless.com>]

Paul said:

> Dr. Bartlett points out that "the world's most serious population problem is right here in the U.S.  The reason for this is that the average American has something like 30 to 50 times the impact on world resources as does a person in an underdeveloped country." 
> http://www.state.hi.us/dbedt/ert/symposium/bartlett/bartlett.html
>
> Our list stresses sustainable food production and related concerns, which 
> deals with that bigger issue of overconsumption. Sustainable food builds 
> soil, conserves freshwater resources, avoids fossil fuels almost entirely in 
> crop production and distribution and in fertilizers and pesticides. On that, 
> we're part of the answer, not part of the problem.
>
> paul tradingpost@lobo.net
> listowner


One of the issues that I have never seen raised is that the prosperity of the Western countries directly increases the populations of the Third World. We do this buy purchasing things we don't need or too much of any one thing at too high of prices or too low of prices. "Always Low Prices" pretty much guarantees that suppliers will go looking for un-industrialized countries, build factories and pump in money to economies that formerly were ag-based and self-limiting. Expensive electronics and fancy jewelry require resources that usually come from places that are susceptible to arms dealers and tyrants. Once they have money, their populations explode in shanty towns and cities, living on imported industrialized foods. We take a 40,000 dollar paycheck and make cars, boats, lawns, and restaraunts. They take a portion of that money and grow children with it. The more they increase their populations, the better the corporations like it because it means they will take lower wages and do anything to put food in their bellies. 
We are starting to see the effect of our declining prosperity, but it is only the tip of the iceberg so far. Instability is pretty much the only thing we will be able to count on when it comes to foreign policy. Our corporadoes set it up that way, and they are losing control.


Dan C.
Belgium,WI