Food & Water

Food & agriculture – May 3

by

Report: “Evaluating the Performance of Genetically Engineered Crops” (Union of Concerned Scientists)
Biochar good news, bad news
Brazil slave labor complaints rise (sugarcane ethanol)
Egypt orders slaughter of all pigs over swine flu

Health – May 3

by

The ethics of environmentally responsible health care
The Oil Drum ponders H1N1 CLZ5 NGZ2 (swine flu)
Global health expert Laurie Garrett discusses swine flu
Why can’t we concentrate?

On choosing – a hyperlocavore responds to catastrophe

by

I have an good idea that has been bugging me since I was about 5. I used to look at the inside of city blocks in San Francisco and wonder, why the heck were the yards all fenced off, in the middle and mostly unused. Why not, I thought way back then, tear those fences down and build a garden full of fruit trees, nut trees and veggie patches? Why don’t people grow food there?

Down with raised beds

by

The only raised bed I’ve ever found useful in sixty years of gardening is the one in my bedroom. And after I quit double-digging, I didn’t have to spend as much time there either. Or if I did, it was for reasons other than resting.

Is food the last thing to worry about?

by

Our food system is woefully dependent on petroleum.Yet in the developed world, the food system may be one of the last to fail during energy descent. This isn’t to say that industrial, oil-based agriculture is invulnerable, let alone sustainable. But there are many reasons why our fears of a food collapse—particularly when they lead us to a go-it-alone, grow-your-own response—may be distracting us from focusing on more immediate and likely risks.