6. Agriculture = Greatest Human Impact on Planet
Erosion
Salinization
Deforestation
Fertilizer runoff
Loss of biodiversity
Fresh water scarcity
Pesticide pollution of water, soil
20. e Goldilocks Effect
Oil price
Minimum oil
needed for
price likely
development
to trigger
of new oil
economic
production
recession:
capacity:
$80-100
$60-70
26. Relocalization of Food Systems
Prioritize production so
that foods are mostly
sourced from close by,
with most long-distance
trade left to foods that
store well for slow travel.
30. Relocalization of Food Systems
Historically, agriculture a
net source of energy
Replace machines with
human and animal power
d where practical
Use renewable electricity
(wind solar, micro-hydro)
Biomass from ag waste
37. Farming systems
Disadvantages of feed lots
b (CAFOs)
Impacts from monocrops
Feed less grain to livestock
(grazing)
Smaller scale of operations
Urban: vertical, rooftop
gardens
41. Millions of farmers needed
Average age of US farmer:
d ~60
% US population farming:
<2% (<1% full-time)
Cuba’s transition required:
15-25% people growing food
What that means for US:
>50 million producers
in next 20 years
43. Seeds
Today’s seed industry is
b centralized & oil dependent
GM varieties extend the
b trend
Coordinated effort to
identify open-pollinated
varieties of food crops
adapted to local soils and
micro-climates
Seed saving
45. Processing and distribution
Community supported
b agriculture (CSAs)
Farmers markets
Local processing centers
Strategic grain reserve
Shift health regulations to
support smaller producers
46. Policies required
Land reform
Education (locale-based)
Loans and other nancial
incentives
Higher and stabilized food
prices
Revitalization of farming
communities and farming
culture
47.
48. The Fo
od & Fa
Transi ming r
Towar tion
daPost Ca
rbon F
ood Sy
stem
Post Carb
on
Decembe Institute
r 2008