Scary, third of arable land lost in only 40 years

[NorthernRaider]

This is terrifying, truly terrifying because we can see yet another causal factor of why tens of millions of migrants are likely to head our way.

http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2...y-shortage

[bigpaul]

"Slash and Burn" and the heavy use of chemicals and fertilisers coupled with "mono" cropping has made a lot of land sterile.
droughts and flooding add to the problem.
the UK alone is less than 60% self sufficient in food, more land in needed not less, the more houses they build on farm land the less land there is to grow food and so the problem is exacerbated.

[Steve]

Yes, NR, it is very worrying indeed. Sadly, most people would prefer to believe that the news is some kind of government conspiracy to raise more taxes, or some such nonsense.

Many people refuse to believe that humans are capable of screwing up the entire planet, despite overwhelming evidence.

There is a saying: "Buy land - they're not making it any more....", in fact it's worse than that, we're flushing the good land we have into the sea at an increasing rate, screwing up both the land and the sea, and when the flushed land tries to settle the nimbys cry that the government should be dredging the rivers to help it to the sea.

Crazy.

[NorthernRaider]

Steve I believe the planet was screwed over 70 years ago, its just taking its time to kick off its mortal coil, encouraging population growth to artificial levels in areas prone to blight, drought, pestilence,flood, blight etc, coupled with other countries allowing their population to rise above what it can feed itself is a guaranteed recipe for disaster, as is breeding like rabbits but not being able to feed, clothe, house, care for and educate the offspring creates a vicious cycle of dependency. It could have been a paradise.

[Steve]

I watched something recently, can't remember what it was, where someone drew a parallel between Humans and Lemmings.

Imagine you are a Lemming, in the middle of a million Lemmings marching towards the cliff. You can see the cliff in the distance, but if you try to stop you might be crushed by all the other Lemmings who keep on going. You keep marching towards the cliff, because if you stop you could be killed right then, marching keeps you alive for a bit longer even though it makes escape even more difficult in the future.

To me this sums up our abuse of our natural resources. We could cut down on our land and fossil fuel use, but other countries might not and we will suffer in relation to them, of course if everyone keeps doing it we will all eventually be in BIG trouble, but for now we can just go with the flow.

[NorthernRaider]

Yup we take out more than we put in, that applies to everything from fresh water, food from the land and sea, forests and jungle, even welfare systems, pollution is increasing in the air and seas only yesterday in Beijing the atmospheric pollution index was over 900, even the Chinese say anything over 100 is dangerous and their lax safe level is about fifty. A raft of decaying plastic is supposedly the size of Texas in the middle of the Pacific with another growing in the Atlantic. We lose two football field sized chunks of rainforest every couple of minutes, and we breed like rats.

[T-oddity]

I like the lemming analogy Steve. As a race our future is not sustainable and I realized that some time ago, the real trick is getting out of that march to the cliff edge without getting crushed by the masses and over the years I've managed to become much more self reliant and far less dependant on others for my basic needs, which is my way of getting out of this death march, does not guarantee me anything though only slightly improves me and mines chances.

[Steve]

(3 December 2015, 07:34)T-oddity Wrote: I realized that some time ago, the real trick is getting out of that march to the cliff edge without getting crushed by the masses

Spot on, you have to start early, and gradually work your way to the edge of the throng.

[NorthernRaider]

Great analogies chaps, once the mass gets underway it becomes unstoppable until it goes over the cliff in one large collective with only those living on the edge of the collective mass surviving the big fall.

[Tibbs735]

Farmers in this country are gradually adopting methods to protect soil from erosion and preserve and build soil organic matter. This is a result of the rising cost of agrochemicals and the potential shortage due to supply and legal limits to application. The Guardian loves a good environmental doom and gloom piece, but desertification and soil damage can be repaired through good practice like managed rotational grazing.