permaculture

[John Schinnerer <john@eco-living.net>]

Aloha,

> Terraforming
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> Artist's conception of a terraformed Mars in three stages of 
> development. (credit: Michael Carroll)
> Enlarge
> Artist's conception of a terraformed Mars in three stages of 
> development. (credit: Michael Carroll)
>
> Terraforming (literally, "Earth-shaping") is the process of modifying a 
> planet, moon or other body to a more habitable atmosphere, temperature 
> or ecology.

Assuming of course that there's something "wrong" with it if it's not 
already perfectly suitable for us humans.  We are after all more 
imporatant that whatever's already there.  Especially us European-origin 
humans of recent centuries.

This is a slippery slope into massive hubris. It's the sort of thinking 
and behavior that has gotten us into the messes we are in.
Hundreds of thousands of acres of laser-leveled chemical-doused GMO 
monoculture is an existing example of terraforming.
The Army Corps draining huge areas of swamp in Florida is another.
The destruction of all those various natural systems that in former 
times would have buffered and mitigated hurricanes along the gulf coast 
is another.
The filling of something like 90%+ of the original wetlands of the San 
Francisco Estuary (more commonly mis-labeled Bay) is another.

> It is a type of planetary engineering.

Historically and at present, the word "Engineering" is a big red 
flashing warning light indicating that what is intended is based on 
inorganic design rather than living systems design and is likely to make 
a mess of living systems.

John S.

--

John Schinnerer - MA, Whole Systems Design
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