Comments on: Food Self-Sufficiency http://liveotherwise.co.uk/makingitup/2008/04/28/food-sufficiency/ montessori at school, autonomous at home, all learning together Tue, 07 Oct 2008 05:59:43 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.1 By: Tim http://liveotherwise.co.uk/makingitup/2008/04/28/food-sufficiency/#comment-242619 Tim Tue, 29 Apr 2008 14:13:32 +0000 http://liveotherwise.co.uk/makingitup/2008/04/28/food-sufficiency/#comment-242619 Modern agriculture is basically a system for turning petrol into food. Does it sound like a decent proportion if oil is $200 a barrel and every vegetable or piece of meat reflects the cost and environmental impact of lorry haulage from the other end of Europe or shipping from the other side of the world? Can we be sure that we will be able to pay for the ships and lorries, let alone the food in them? Will we even have the oil to fuel them with? Does it sound like a decent proportion if population growth in the countries from whom we are importing continues and they need the food themselves and ban exports (as is already happening in Asia)? Does it sound like a decent proportion when we are borrowing the money we use to buy a sizeable proportion of the goods we are importing, and have no plan at all as to how we might pay it back? Does it sound like a decent proportion when year on year the number of mouths we have to feed increases while our manufacturing industry and agriculture declines, and each year our ability to either produce our own food or to pay for food produced by others or to service our debts declines? Modern agriculture is basically a system for turning petrol into food. Does it sound like a decent proportion if oil is $200 a barrel and every vegetable or piece of meat reflects the cost and environmental impact of lorry haulage from the other end of Europe or shipping from the other side of the world? Can we be sure that we will be able to pay for the ships and lorries, let alone the food in them? Will we even have the oil to fuel them with?

Does it sound like a decent proportion if population growth in the countries from whom we are importing continues and they need the food themselves and ban exports (as is already happening in Asia)?

Does it sound like a decent proportion when we are borrowing the money we use to buy a sizeable proportion of the goods we are importing, and have no plan at all as to how we might pay it back?

Does it sound like a decent proportion when year on year the number of mouths we have to feed increases while our manufacturing industry and agriculture declines, and each year our ability to either produce our own food or to pay for food produced by others or to service our debts declines?

]]> By: Daddybean http://liveotherwise.co.uk/makingitup/2008/04/28/food-sufficiency/#comment-242618 Daddybean Tue, 29 Apr 2008 13:39:54 +0000 http://liveotherwise.co.uk/makingitup/2008/04/28/food-sufficiency/#comment-242618 I thought 60% sounded a decent proportion. Given the amount that is imported that can't really grown here (eg Rice, various fruit and veg - oranges, bannanas) I thought 60% sounded a decent proportion. Given the amount that is imported that can’t really grown here (eg Rice, various fruit and veg - oranges, bannanas)

]]> By: Jax http://liveotherwise.co.uk/makingitup/2008/04/28/food-sufficiency/#comment-242613 Jax Mon, 28 Apr 2008 17:31:31 +0000 http://liveotherwise.co.uk/makingitup/2008/04/28/food-sufficiency/#comment-242613 and then, according to the studies on Okinawa we'd probably live longer (reduced calorie intake) which might not go very far to resolve any self-sufficiency issues... and then, according to the studies on Okinawa we’d probably live longer (reduced calorie intake) which might not go very far to resolve any self-sufficiency issues…

]]> By: Michelle http://liveotherwise.co.uk/makingitup/2008/04/28/food-sufficiency/#comment-242611 Michelle Mon, 28 Apr 2008 17:00:37 +0000 http://liveotherwise.co.uk/makingitup/2008/04/28/food-sufficiency/#comment-242611 but possibly we produce more than we actually need? We def overeat here. Think we could subsist on half the amount of food we buy. but possibly we produce more than we actually need? We def overeat here. Think we could subsist on half the amount of food we buy.

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