- After the effects of climate change occur, will the farms in the midwest be harmed or will they benefit? How can the farms possibly adapt to the changing weather to keep their farm alive?
- Jiang Guangchen, a farmer and party secretary in China, says, "Now [the farmers in China] use lots of chemical fertilizer. Before we used human and animal waste," (202). How can farmers such as Guangchen avoid using harmful methods to grow their crops? What are some natural alternatives and acheivable goals that they should work towards?
- What are the pros and cons of Genetically Modified Organisms, and what are their effects on the consumer and the farmer? In what ways does it effect the environment and the poorest countries in the world?
Monday, May 23, 2011
Chapter 8: How Will We Feed Ourselves?
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1. I think that perhaps in the short term the farms in the midwest will benefit from the longer growing season, but what it seems like from the chapter is that in the long term these farms with be harmed by lack of water, unfamiliar weather patterns and unhealthy soils.
ReplyDelete2. I think that using natural fertilizers like manure is such a useful alternative. However, as these farmers use more and more chemicals, the chemicals become more and more of a necessity as the soil becomes chemically saturated.
3. I apologize, but I can only answer this question with bias. I am a strong believer in not using GMOs. I feel like we shouldn't mess with the natural way of things, especially when it comes to our food. I also don't support Monsanto and its practices that force farmers to re-buy their seed every year rather than simply reuse leftover seed from the previous crop. Monsanto says their are positive effects of GMOs, but let's get real here, they are a business and they want you to buy their product.
This is a tough chapter to address. We in the United States and Europe have millions of choices we can make about our own food. I think we should make them: buy local, organic food when possible. Pay the extra cost for these products. Try to eat foods that are in season. Finish the food you have at home - even when it means eating the same thing more than once in the same day - instead of throwing it out.
ReplyDeleteHowever, as this country's food security was founded on chemical herbicides and pesticides, I do not feel that I have any moral standing to tell others how they should feed their people.