".......when we talk about toxic pesticides, we're discussing what is
still the current convention, and one with a number of claimed
redeeming social values. However, the situation is changing, and
changing ever-more rapidly. As ecologically sane alternatives to toxic
pesticides become increasingly available and the use of them more
common, the preference of the public for foods produced via these
means is also increasing, logarithmically."
Clark said:
"Why should we (collectively, as a people) be allowing our creative
energies to
be sapped by this pinhead dancing (is 0.0001 picograms too much? how
much
more risk is 0.001 picograms?) when it would be so much more fruitful
and
life-enhancing to design and operate production systems that didn't
create the
niches allowing pests to proliferate to pestiferous proportions in the
first
place? It is the flawed system design (corn-soy-corn-soy-corn-soy) or
3000
cow dairies or megahog factories that has encouraged the slide into
dependence
on biocides."
Excellent responses (exerpts). I agree that while we should be looking
for alternatives to dependency on chemicals in farming, I also believe
that we should not throw the baby out with the bath water, or get into
picking the smallest of nits. People in general seem to have this need
to swing on pendulums (spelling is not my forte), going from one extreme
to another.
"Plant fence row to fence row, boys," and use whatever chemicals are
needed to get the job done !
Swhoooosh
"Lets go back to the days of hunters and gatherers and live in caves,
etc."
Surely there is some middle ground we can come to where we are not
*dependent* on chemicals, but also where sustainable agriculture is not
some pie in the sky life led by latter day hippies. Remember, while it
often takes time to get into trouble, it usually takes even more time to
get out of it.
Son of Richard
PS to Hinds - I am a VV (1970-71), did my part proudly and still proud
of my active & reserve career, but came to realize the futility and
stupidity that was behind that war. Don't have any problems with
anti-warriors as long as they realize that the GI's were not the
problem.
To Unsubscribe: Email majordomo@ces.ncsu.edu with the command
"unsubscribe sanet-mg". If you receive the digest format, use the command
"unsubscribe sanet-mg-digest".
To Subscribe to Digest: Email majordomo@ces.ncsu.edu with the command
"subscribe sanet-mg-digest".
All messages to sanet-mg are archived at:
http://www.sare.org/htdocs/hypermail