permaculture

[Steve Diver <steved@ipa.net>]

Harmon Seaver wrote:

>He hasn't "published over 400 journals"  8-)  I hope that was a typo.
>And he certainly hasn't even published papers in "over 400 journals".
>Possibly he has published 400 articles somewhere, but a good share of
>them, and especially the ones regarding ethanol production, were
>published in a oil and coal industry rag.

Yes that was an incomplete typed phrase after a long day. 
The article you re-posted from David Blume said Pimentel 
had published some 450 journal articles. 

Scholar Google has a quick 1,370 hits for D. Pimentel. 

Look, I'll grant you that Pimentel's numbers on ethanol
may be off kilter.  Big deal.  Who follows the words of
one scientist as if that's the only game in town?  I'm not 
defending Pimentel's numbers or views on that topic.  
The development of innovative cellulosic conversions, 
SVO, biodiesel and related biofuel conversions have 
drastically altered the playing field since the early 
days of ethanol when Pimentel got started. 

My point is that a human being is a total experience.  
Pimentel has contributed a great deal to ecological 
science, entomology, and sustainable systems.  The topics 
he's addressed are broader than his ethanol papers. 

It's easy to find out that he has been a voice for 
sustainable agriculture, reduced pesticide use, and
ecological systems..... if you spend some time digging
thru his papers. 

If you actually read his papers, you'll find that
he has consitently taken a stand that is opposite
of the pesticide industry, and so forth. These are
the findings of an ecological scientist whom 
permaculturists and organic agriculture advocates 
have found to be supportive of their vision. 

Besides, do grassroots activists and inventors who work in 
decentralized biofuels technology wait in anticipation for
the latest findings from academics, scientists, multi-national
corporations, and goverment.... before acting?   I thought 
grassroots innovators just forge ahead and show how to get 
it done.

I'd rather be writing about and exploring carbon sequestration, 
the original topic, but don't think that hype should pass by 
without clarification or the expectation that the whole list 
will buy into it like baa baa black sheeps. 

Steve Diver
Texas