Science to the Rescue

Discussion in 'News from around the damp planet' started by Farside, Mar 15, 2013.

  1. Farside

    Farside Junior Member

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  2. purplepear

    purplepear Junior Member

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    The plant based protiens I could perhaps wear but I get shy of the gumms and other additives in the story. If they replace caged eggs then that is fine but I intend to keep my chooks.
     
  3. Unmutual

    Unmutual Junior Member

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    Yeah, I'll be keeping my chickens too. They can have their veggie eggs.
     
  4. treetopsdreaming

    treetopsdreaming Junior Member

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    This form of "scientific" solution (towards sustainability) makes me sad. Aren't we only kidding ourselves by treating a symptom (poor farming practices) and not the true root cause of the problem (human overpopulation)? How I wish that my child (and her future children) could live in a world where they could be nourished by natural, human food. Sadly, I am not sure that this (higher quality of life) will be allowed to the (human) masses in the future.

    No doubt, I have been reading too much Fukuoka lately :) However, I do find his thinking to be so clear in this area. "The other day someone from NHK television came by and asked me to say something about the flavor of natural food. We talked, and then I asked him to compare the eggs laid by the hens in the coop down below with those of the chickens running free up in the orchard. He found that the yolks of the eggs laid by the chickens cooped up on the typical chicken ranch were soft and watery and their color was pale yellow. He observed that the yolks of the eggs laid by the chickens living wild on the mountain were firm and resilient and bright orange in color. When the old man who runs the sushi restaurant in town tasted one of these natural eggs, he said that this was a "real egg", just like in the old days, and rejoiced as if it were some precious treasure." (The One-Straw Revolution, What is Human Food?, Page 99, Masanobu Fukuoka)

    I am grateful for the "precious treasure" provided by my hens every day.
     
  5. Ludi

    Ludi Junior Member

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    I used to be totally convinced of "human overpopulation" being the true root cause of our problems, and I certainly still believe there are too many people living the way we live now, but the more I've learned about permaculture, the more I wonder if the planet really could healthily support our current population, living a permacultural way in functioning ecosystems restored through permaculture. I'm not advocating a large population as intrinsically desirable, just wondering if it is possible to maintain a large human population in healthy functioning permaculture ecosystems.

    This especially: https://permaculturenews.org/2012/0...e-west-and-east-north-and-south-could-be-won/

    I see manufactured eggs as no kind of solution, personally!
     
  6. Unmutual

    Unmutual Junior Member

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    I agree. Once these "eggs" become mass produced, sustainability usually goes out of the window. Human population, I think, is also not the root cause. Making food a commodity(you can invest and speculate on food, causing fluctuations) and mass production(industrial ag) are the culprits(there are probably quite of few more issues, but it basically boils down to greed).

    Without going in to the details of if the land is desirable(caldera of a volcano, or land that is "permanently" covered with ice): Square kilometers of land on planet Earth(estimations): 148,300,000-153,295,000(let's go with 150,000,000). So 150,000,000 square kilometers = 37,065,807,220.1 acres. Population of planet Earth(estimations again, of course) = 7,072,000,000. Dividing acres by population = 5.24 acres per person. Even if we knock that down to(purely arbitrary, no facts to back it up really) 4 acres per person to account for ice and really bad places, that's still a sustainable amount of land per person. So I'd have to go with a resounding yes, especially when people group together in communities to increase productivity of the land(group the buildings closely so you have minimal roads).

    Reducing coastal acreage per person to account for fishing could get you even better living conditions or more people on the planet.
     
  7. Ludi

    Ludi Junior Member

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    Yikes! I think we probably have plenty right now! :)
     
  8. Pakanohida

    Pakanohida Junior Member

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    What about the chemical costs and transportation of chemical costs for this product? The computers, the fuel to break down and reconstruct into another product.

    Hmmm

    Some Chef will play with it.
     
  9. treetopsdreaming

    treetopsdreaming Junior Member

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    Hi Ludi and unmutual. I understand your point about over population (as not necessarily being the root cause of our current unsustainable practices). However, there aren't that many major levers. Although, many people live very modest lives (with very modest footprints), many do not (and do not appear to be willing to do so voluntarily). Perhaps I will try to expand my thoughts in a more appropriate thread... All this from a (not so humble) manufactured egg :)
     
  10. Ludi

    Ludi Junior Member

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    I agree our human problems would be less of an issue with fewer people, so no need to debate this matter! (Unless you just happen to feel like debating) :)
     
  11. kartinaearth

    kartinaearth Junior Member

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    Hi guys, am new here and happen to be reading some of the threads and the article you highlighted just freaked me out. It is so unnatural to the point that I balked while reading it. As someone who grows her own crops and big supporter of chickens running free, I simply will not be able to stomach artificially constructed eggs...
     
  12. Unmutual

    Unmutual Junior Member

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    Hehe, welcome to the forums and try not to get caught in the negativity. There are many positive posts on these forums along with good instructional posts. But as I'm sure you know, bad news travels faster and people love to complain. I've begun to just put all of that stuff in to the "Society is insane" category, and that complaining is the right and privileged of the working class(of which I am a card carrying member).
     
  13. kartinaearth

    kartinaearth Junior Member

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    @unmutual, thanks ! I am sure good vibes are all around and looking forward to particiapting in those :)
     
  14. treetopsdreaming

    treetopsdreaming Junior Member

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    Hi kartinaearth. For some reason, this thread yanked my chain as well :)

    Fortunately, Unmutual (and Ludi) helped me get over it...

     
  15. johnw7000

    johnw7000 Junior Member

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    Hi fellow Permies!! :)

    I'm just finishing my chook run and came across this thread and had to pop my head in.
    Its obvious from checking out whats happening world wide with not only Permaculture but many so called "alternative" lifestyles that a massive shift is in motion thats not going to stop.
    I'm pumped and excited, I live in suburbia running on solar power (to grid but sussing to go stand alone) & solar hot water. Water tanks, veggies & fruit going mad :). I also encourage heaps of wild goodies like dandelion, plantain etc etc etc with a plan to not have to buy bugger all asap.

    Check out Gary Tibbo, what a Legend!

    Hey if anybody wants to suss how to manage a c country read Bill Gammages book "The Biggest Estate on Earth" it certainly shines a different like on things and how managing/manipulating the environment for all concerned (including all plants & animals etc).
    As Bill Mollison once said, thee are no problems, only opportunities".

    Lets not only imagine what type of life & world we wish for................. LETS CREATE IT! with every thought, step & action.

    I raise a glass of pure rain water to all you brave moulders of the New World.

    Lets plan & plant on :)
     

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