The collision between climate and food security

Discussion in 'The big picture' started by Michaelangelica, Nov 30, 2009.

  1. Michaelangelica

    Michaelangelica Junior Member

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    https://www.sciencealert.com.au/opinions ... Stories%29
     
  2. ecodharmamark

    ecodharmamark Junior Member

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    Re: The collision between climate and food security

    Thanks for the link, Michael.

    Lester Brown has been banging on about this issue for decades, and "matto's" link (see: viewtopic.php?f=6&t=13222&start=30) provides access to Brown's latest work on this topic.

    Nothing like an empty belly and a parched throat to awaken the fire within...

    Cheerio, Marko.
     
  3. bernado soares

    bernado soares Junior Member

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    Re: The collision between climate and food security

    Nothing like an empty belly and a parched throat to awaken the fire within...
    Maybe,but it is my experience that those truly effected by hunger only have a belly distended,and the throat is dry from weeping.They are usually the rural poor who are devoid of the politiziation of the vanguard that operates primarily amongst the urban sub classes.To think that hunger is an impetus for radical thinking and action is a bit of a strong leap maybe it's a little romantic,in this situation.The left wing bang on about land peace bread because it's easily swallowed in the city.The reality for children or the rural poor is that after a hunger march survivors have suffered such long term damage to their central nervous systems had so much pressure put on thier over worked organs,been through such astounding psychological hardship that they rarely recover fully.Most after this experience end up in a aid camp which like prison institutionalises it occupants,after many years .
    Many if not all are more concerned with fermented food rather than being fervent for food,they yearn for stability after the many years of insecurity.No one has the will or desire in this situation to shift that status quo by political action,because you simply cannot eat a manifesto.So in my ever so humble opinion an empty belly and a dry throat smothers the fire.Healthy well fed populations with shelter and medicine strive to improve on the status quo in increments rather than through revolution.I think Marley says it best A hungry man is an angry man...anger never changes anything.
     
  4. ecodharmamark

    ecodharmamark Junior Member

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    Re: The collision between climate and food security

    Yes, couldn't agree more with your 'developing' (third world) analogy, Bernado.

    However, what did spring to my mind when I read the article was the situation which sees 80% of the population here in Australia living in the outer-ring suburbs of the eastern capitals - 30% of which are living in mortgage stress (more than 1/3 of their income going directly to housing repayments), car-dependant and struggling with petrol costs due to inadequate public transport facilities (only going to get worse once the Australian dollar drops again and the price of crude goes up further), and generally living day-to-day and struggling to pay the bills.

    My comment was directed at the above, and in no way can these 'aspiring affluents' be compared to the peoples who have a genuine hunger and thirst as bought about by political situations in the unstable regions of the world. Rather, my comment was economic in character - the average food and water bill in Australia is set to explode as consumers are hit from every corner of the market with supply chain increases. Food, fuel, energy, water - all these consumables are set to skyrocket. My comment was future-related, and reiterated appears thus - I wonder if the ever-increasing costs for consumables in the first world will make people stop and think, "Do I buy premium beef this week, or will we settle for sausages", and "Can I afford to continue and buy bottled water, or will we settle for what comes out of the tap?"

    It may well be seen by many as occurring in the distant future, but I believe food security bought about by the changing climate is something that does have the potential to close the gap between the so-called third world, and the first. We who are privileged to live in affluent society could some day learn what it feels like to go hungry/thirsty.

    "...Healthy well fed populations with shelter and medicine strive to improve on the status quo in increments rather than through revolution." In my experience, it appears that those who live in affluent society care less about 'improving the status quo', and more about improving the status of the individual (for an example, see the link that I posted in the 'news' section which reveals Australians now lust after the largest homes in the world).

    Cheerio, Marko.
     
  5. abdullah

    abdullah Junior Member

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    Re: The collision between climate and food security

    today i downloaded and watched "what a way to go: life at the end of empire" whether that is relevant to this thread or not, well i dont know, im still reeling from the thoughts of impending doom, as one dude on the doco said maybe the earth will be stuck on a warming cycle and eventually be like venus, to hot and methane rich for life, also in it they mentioned that global warming will effect where and what crops are grown dramatically, anyway im gonna bug out soon because ive learned fromhistory that societal breakdown generally gets ugly, tonight im gonna make my wife watch it so she knows im not really crazy about my desire for sustainable tree change.
     
  6. Michaelangelica

    Michaelangelica Junior Member

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    Re: The collision between climate and food security

    Like a lot of the planet, she may not want to know
    https://blogs.smh.com.au/executive-style ... ange1.html
     
  7. Glen from Carwoola

    Glen from Carwoola Junior Member

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    Re: The collision between climate and food security

    Although climate change will put extra pressure on food security and agriculture, it pales in to comparison our direct degradation of the Earth's top soil. Even if there was no such thing as climate change our food prices will still sky rocket because current practices are not sustainable and we will have to face reality very soon.
     
  8. sbrokvam

    sbrokvam Junior Member

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    Re: The collision between climate and food security

    Hm, that's a pretty heavy ride, that movie. I've been hesitant to recommend it to many people - mainly those I know are already aware. Basically, I've been wondering whether I have the right to decide that it's time for them to 'wake up', especially since "What a way to go" really hits you in the gut. I have not shown it to my wife, but we have discussed a number of the confluent strains on the world depicted in this movie.

    Abdullah, did you find the full movie, or just the ten minute excerpt on YouTube?
     

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