nutrient runnoff and algal blooms, dramas in china

Discussion in 'News from around the damp planet' started by ppp, Jul 9, 2010.

  1. ppp

    ppp Junior Member

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  2. eco4560

    eco4560 New Member

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    Gee sounds like permaculture to me.
     
  3. Adam

    Adam Junior Member

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    Of course all those are good solutions. I think the solutions are quite clear, but the real problem is how to get people in China to implement them? The number one biggest agricultural problem in China has got to be chemical fertilizer use. It's not only that they use it, which is bad enough, but they overuse it tremendously (by an average of 40% more than is needed). Simply using about 40-50% less chemical fertilizer would go a long way toward easing the problems of these massive seaweed and algae blooms and soil acidification.

    It's far from easy to change the habits of farmers who have become set in their ways, so it really is quite a challenge to try and work on this issue. The Chinese government's agricultural extension service really needs to be doing the job of educating the farmers about proper chemical fertilizer use and more sustainable agricultural practices. In tandem with the government, there needs to be a whole army of NGOs working to change Chinese agricultural practices in a more radical way by doing what the government would never do: the demonstration of permaculture methods and sustainable agriculture practices in order to ween them off of chemical fertilizers, pesticides, and monocropping altogether.
     
  4. permasculptor

    permasculptor Junior Member

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    This may just be a tipping point that forces the hand of the Chinese government to adopt sustainable practices, which I think they are far more capable of than our government or the american government.
     
  5. Tropical food forest

    Tropical food forest Junior Member

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    dont worry about china
    worry about yourself

    china is already beating australia in all things environmnetal

    - keeping pandas
    - reserves
    -replanting forests
    -stabilising deserts
    -building wind and solar power

    if china can do it so can we
     
  6. ecodharmamark

    ecodharmamark Junior Member

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    G'day permasculptor

    Yes, I tend to agree. However China is a bit of a mixed-bag when it comes to past agricultural practices - some spectacular booms, and busts.

    Mike Davis (2002) has written a brilliant article on the subject: The Origins of the Third World

    Cheerio, Markos.
     

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