speaking of excessive energy costs, there was a story on US National
Public Radio a week or so ago about the loss of fertility of African
soils. The experts spoke, recommending aid to help Africans buy more
(energy-intensive, import-intensive) artificial infertilizer. Whatever
happened to rotating
at ecst.csuchico.edu
Chico, CA 95929
530-898-5321
fax 530-898-5901
michaelperelman.wordpress.com
-Original Message-
From: PEN-L list [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Jim Devine
Sent: Wednesday, February 20, 2008 7:47 AM
To: PEN-L@SUS.CSUCHICO.EDU
Subject: [PEN-L] fertilizer [was: Peak food
at ecst.csuchico.edu
Chico, CA 95929
530-898-5321
fax 530-898-5901
michaelperelman.wordpress.com
-Original Message-
From: PEN-L list [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Jim Devine
Sent: Wednesday, February 20, 2008 7:47 AM
To: PEN-L@SUS.CSUCHICO.EDU
Subject: [PEN-L] fertilizer
This is not a problem restricted to Africa or peasant agriculture. The
following is courtesy of Bill Totten on A-list.
It's Disappearing
by Tom Paulson
The Seattle Post-Intelligencer (January 22 2008)
The planet is getting skinned.
While many worry about the potential consequences of
Not really. The peasants like the barren hillsides, which are much more
interesting than the fertile plains.
Jim wrote:
I agree, but even fragile soils can be helped with old-fashioned
techniques (though perhaps not healed). Part of the problem, of
course, is that in many places the best lands
This is not a problem restricted to Africa or peasant agriculture. The
following is courtesy of Bill Totten on A-list.
It's Disappearing
by Tom Paulson
The Seattle Post-Intelligencer (January 22 2008)
The planet is getting skinned.
While many worry about the potential consequences of
me:
I agree, but even fragile soils can be helped with old-fashioned
techniques (though perhaps not healed). Part of the problem, of
course, is that in many places the best lands were grabbed by the
Europeans during colonization.
Michael Perelman wrote:
Not really. The peasants like the
They also like to travel far from their homes to go down into holes in
the ground to dig for diamonds they can give to their European
benefactors.
On 2/20/08, Perelman, Michael [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:
Not really. The peasants like the barren hillsides, which are much more
interesting than the
In Farming for Profit in a Hungry World (1977) I estimated that the US
lost 20 lbs of soil for each lb. of food produced. I have been
intending to read Montgomery's book.
Michael Perelman
Economics Department
California State University
michael at ecst.csuchico.edu
Chico, CA 95929
530-898-5321
