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The Spreading Global Food Crisis Thread pt 2 (merged)

What's on your mind?
General interest discussions, not necessarily related to depletion.

Re: Asian nations worried about food supply

Unread postby Synthicide » Fri 29 Feb 2008, 15:29:39

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('dsula', '')$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Synthicide', 'W')ow, there's some seriously selfish people in here. Many of the people from 3rd world nations would invite you into their home, and share with you the last of their food. They are human beings, but you people are just selfish consumobots.

Now that's just not true. I pay lots of taxes which is used by most western nations to buy food, medicine, schools and all kind of help for the 3rd world. How can you call me selfish?


You're a real humanitarian. Lol.
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Re: Asian nations worried about food supply

Unread postby Tyler_JC » Fri 29 Feb 2008, 15:42:21

I find it impossible to feel emotions about strangers that I have never met and never will meet. Especially when those strangers have zero influence on my day to day life.

Their suffering is unfortunate but it's not the kind of thing I worry about.

But I do give money to homeless people in my area if they look like they legitimately need it.

A Bangladeshi villager? Not my biggest concern right now.

I'm sorry, but it's just a statistic.
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Re: Alternative Solution for US food crisis

Unread postby mos6507 » Fri 29 Feb 2008, 15:42:52

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Ludi', '
')It generally takes more water to grow vegetables than it does to grow grass, and most of the poorer areas of Los Angeles don't have lawns anyway (as you know from driving in the Valley). They can't afford the water bills.


That's why in drier climates people are going to have to seriously push for water catchment systems. A great deal of the rainwater that falls in LA during the rainy season just washes out to the ocean.
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Re: Alternative Solution for US food crisis

Unread postby mos6507 » Fri 29 Feb 2008, 15:48:21

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('steam_cannon', 'I') think a lot of guys out there need to grow a pair! :lol:


Back then you had people who had already learned to scrape by on nothing because of the depression. It's going to be a real culture shock.
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Re: Alternative Solution for US food crisis

Unread postby joeltrout » Fri 29 Feb 2008, 15:50:52

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('mos6507', '')$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Ludi', '
')It generally takes more water to grow vegetables than it does to grow grass, and most of the poorer areas of Los Angeles don't have lawns anyway (as you know from driving in the Valley). They can't afford the water bills.


That's why in drier climates people are going to have to seriously push for water catchment systems. A great deal of the rainwater that falls in LA during the rainy season just washes out to the ocean.


Another help would be converting drip systems out of sprinkler systems. Which is easy to do if you have a sprinkler system or not.

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Re: Alternative Solution for US food crisis

Unread postby joeltrout » Fri 29 Feb 2008, 15:56:42

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('mos6507', '')$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('steam_cannon', 'I') think a lot of guys out there need to grow a pair! :lol:


Back then you had people who had already learned to scrape by on nothing because of the depression. It's going to be a real culture shock.


I agree, many people out here that have yards also have gardners because of cheap labor. It frees them up to do other "important" things but most people out here can't keep a flower bed alive.

The culture shock will be huge for most since we have been given everything without knowing how bad it has been. The depression was less than 100 years ago but has well been forgotten. And all those that lived during it are passing away along with their knowledge on how to live on nothing.

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Re: Asian nations worried about food supply

Unread postby DomusAlbion » Fri 29 Feb 2008, 16:17:41

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Synthicide', 'W')ow, there's some seriously selfish people in here. Many of the people from 3rd world nations would invite you into their home, and share with you the last of their food. They are human beings, but you people are just selfish consumobots.


Please! What a statement. I'm sure that it is very true but it is also true of people in wealthier nations. It is also true that a lot of people in 3rd world nations would kill me because I'm not of their religion or because I'm from the West. There are bad and good everywhere and the poor have no special moral state. You sound so incredibly naive.
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Re: Alternative Solution for US food crisis

Unread postby DomusAlbion » Fri 29 Feb 2008, 16:27:26

There's little hope for places like Los Angeles, Phoenix and Los Vegas. There are just too many people for the given local resources. People will move away (or die) and LA will return to the sleepy pueblo it was before WW II.
"Modern Agriculture is the use of land to convert petroleum into food."
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Re: Alternative Solution for US food crisis

Unread postby Pixie » Fri 29 Feb 2008, 16:47:02

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('joeltrout', '')$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('heroineworshipper', 'O')nly 1% of LA can afford a house with any room to grow anything. Quite rediculous unless highrises with indoor plant lighting become popular.


I am not talking about cities become sustainable themselves. That is the dumbest thought ever.

joeltrout


I wonder, though, if the suburbs could grow all their own food. Take out the landscaping and the fences between properties, and there is something like an acre of contiguous land on every block (excluding the house footprints) that could be gardened for not just vegetables, but also chickens, rabbits, legumes, fruit and corn. Despite what has been said, I think it is easier to grow perennial crops in such a setting than in an orchard, because you have people right there to take care of them.

Irrigation water could come from roof runoff. A 1000 square foot roof in a 12 inch rainfall zone could easily irrigate 1000 square feet of garden with drip tape irrigation and appropriate mulching.

Add in solar greenhouses built onto the homes, you could feed a lot of people. There'd be about 10-12 houses sharing that land, so something like 20-30 people. Could we feed 30 people from 3 acres with intensive organic agriculture?

And no, hardly anyone wants to work hard until they need to. The need will be there sooner or later.
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Re: Alternative Solution for US food crisis

Unread postby joeltrout » Fri 29 Feb 2008, 16:58:31

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Pixie', '
')I wonder, though, if the suburbs could grow all their own food.


I think the suburbs would have the best chance. Most homes have yards in front and back, many neighborhoods contain small parks, and neighbors are usually willing to work with each other.

Most people don't notice how much landscaping is around them especially in cities even if it is bad landscaping. Instead of a regular tree picture an apple/peach/apricot tree. Instead of roses picture tomato plants producing hundreds delicious tomatos. Instead of ivy hedges picture grape vines and vertical squash. Instead of flowers picture potatoes, peppers, etc... There is a lot of land avaible for gardens if need be.

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Re: Asian nations worried about food supply

Unread postby Synthicide » Fri 29 Feb 2008, 17:24:51

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('DomusAlbion', '')$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Synthicide', 'W')ow, there's some seriously selfish people in here. Many of the people from 3rd world nations would invite you into their home, and share with you the last of their food. They are human beings, but you people are just selfish consumobots.


Please! What a statement. I'm sure that it is very true but it is also true of people in wealthier nations. It is also true that a lot of people in 3rd world nations would kill me because I'm not of their religion or because I'm from the West. There are bad and good everywhere and the poor have no special moral state. You sound so incredibly naive.


Umm, dood, learn to read. Did I say all people in 3rd world nations? No, I said many, which is a true statement, and not contrived of naivity. Good try putting words in my mouth.

If you guys haven't seen the other forum topic, it looks like the US is facing a grain shortage of their ownl. US buyers are being outbid by foriegners. Wow, looks like the third world's shortages can come back to bite. Poor Chesire, maybe a Bangladeshi can come shit on his lawn for fertlizer.
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Re: Alternative Solution for US food crisis

Unread postby oowolf » Fri 29 Feb 2008, 18:04:52

Almost all the foods Americans are currently growing in their kitchen gardens are TOTALLY WORTHLESS for survival purposes. I'd guess not 1 person in 10,000 knows how to grow, let alone forage, enough food to actually LIVE on.
Most are pathologically clueless.
Even those on sites like this would be better off to buy a juicer and grind up the quack grass and dandelions (probably full of toxic chemicals) from lawns and make "leaf curd" from tree leaves.

I would advise becoming a foraging expert, pronto.

In 2 weeks I will begin harvesting large quantities of Alder catkins (Alnus rubra) (35% protein, dry weight): high quality food, free for the taking.
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Re: Alternative Solution for US food crisis

Unread postby FoolYap » Fri 29 Feb 2008, 18:10:57

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('oowolf', 'A')lmost all the foods Americans are currently growing in their kitchen gardens are TOTALLY WORTHLESS for survival purposes.


Red herring. The thread author's suggestion was not that backyard gardens would feed people exclusively, but would supplement what they can buy from a still-functioning agriculture system.

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', 'I') would advise becoming a foraging expert, pronto.


Not a viable option for most of us if everyone around us is trying to do it too. The vast bulk of the world's landscapes can't support 6+ billion foragers. Hell, it can barely support them with energy-intensive high-tech agri-business.

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Re: Alternative Solution for US food crisis

Unread postby canis_lupus » Fri 29 Feb 2008, 18:13:01

JoelTrout - I like the way you think!

The problem where I live is the suburban thinking here (west of Chicago):
1. can't keep bees here, they are "venomous pets"
2. Some cities have $300 - $3000 per tree permits you need to buy if you are going to remove trees from your property (don't even get me started)
3. There is a maximum amount of roof size you can have on your property as a percentage of the size of your lot.
4. Trapping rainwater requires a plumber which requires a permit, which requires a yearly inspection
5. Don't consider wind power

...and so on.

Getting these ordinances changed would be a huge undertaking. By the time the village got it over its rectal-cranial impaction, it'd be forever.

I'm in an old railroad town about 35 minutes from downtown Chicago, so we're not real progressive and not real backwards so I think we're a good sample for suburbia.
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Re: Asian nations worried about food supply

Unread postby Kristen » Fri 29 Feb 2008, 18:15:07

well population growth is decreasing at 2.1 million people per year and should peak between 2020-2029. That might help things out a bit, if we can make it that long.
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Re: Alternative Solution for US food crisis

Unread postby oowolf » Fri 29 Feb 2008, 18:18:09

When the wheat runs out, or becomes too expensive for YOU to buy, what do you suggest replacing it with: Tomatoes and cucumbers? Good luck. Grow your own wheat? Yeah, sure. Who knows how to do that excepting a few hard-core biointensive/permaculture gardeners?
Foragers=survivors; Non-foragers=Dead meat
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Re: Alternative Solution for US food crisis

Unread postby Ludi » Fri 29 Feb 2008, 18:25:19

Wheat takes too much room to grow for the calories it provides. Potatoes, sweet potatoes, and other root crops are better choices for calorie crops.

Sweet potatoes are perennial in warm climates, hardy yam are perennial in cooler climates. This may help eliminate the need for storage.

Nut trees are a good choice for calories and nutrition but most take years to bear. Almonds for warm climates and hazelnuts for cooler climates may be better choices for quicker crops (also smaller trees than walnuts or pecans).
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Re: Asian nations worried about food supply

Unread postby DomusAlbion » Fri 29 Feb 2008, 18:26:42

Back at you, dood (your extra special spelling).

I suggest you learn to read (and spell as well).

"Did I say all people in 3rd world nations? No, I said many, which is a true statement, and not contrived of naivity (sic)."

I never said that you said "all". I acknowledged your statement as true, however, I applied the same statement, or logic if you will, to Westerners. In other words you really added nothing to the discussion except to call people names and to be self righteous.

You sound as if you’re a young person, lacking experience of the world as it is and always will be, “World without end. Amen”
A sad state, but you're not going to change it, nor can anyone.
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Re: Alternative Solution for US food crisis

Unread postby SILENTTODD » Fri 29 Feb 2008, 18:29:22

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('steam_cannon', 'A') garden will make your rations go further.Image



Thanks for bringing this up steam_cannon you know a lot more about American history than most Americans.

Victory Gardens were heavily promoted in the Second World War by the American government. The necessities of fight a two front war was a heavy drain on available manpower and transportation facilities (we were actually swimming in oil at that time). Certain food products and meat were rationed for nearly the duration of the war from 1942 on.

No one was expected to live exclusively of the production of their gardens, but it did make dent in how much extra had to be produced. And as the poster said 'made your rations go further'. The difference between being comfortable and just getting by.

From my own experience it is amazing who much you can grow in a small garden. Even now for the past 4 years I've been experimenting on my second story apartment patio with Potato varieties, Eggplants, and Tomatoes. I've actually learned a lot about the pests that attack them and strategies for coping with them when you don't have pesticides.
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Re: Alternative Solution for US food crisis

Unread postby Ludi » Fri 29 Feb 2008, 18:30:20

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Pixie', ' ') Could we feed 30 people from 3 acres with intensive organic agriculture?



An acre can support ten people under good conditions on a vegan diet. If you include animals more land is needed.

If conditions are hot, dry, or cold, more land is needed than the minimum.
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