agriculture

Renewable world by 2030

 Super-scientist Mark Jacobson from Stanford explains soot-causing warming - plus a way to run the world on clean energy by 2030.  Yes, it can be done technically.  But can we overcome the powers-that-be to do it socially?

 

We visit an Ultra-Mega coal power plant in India, ten times larger than U.S. stations.  It's already killing people. Of course, India is buying coal from Australia and Indonesia.  If the world's second-most populous country continues it's coal-building projects, we are all cooked.

 

The California Drought: Is this the big one?

Australia is no stranger to drought, or predictions of long-term drying. It's possible early settlers in both Australia and California simply lucked out on a long cyclical wet period, to be followed by much worse.

Scientists in North America have discovered past droughts in the southwest, including California, lasted hundreds of years. Is this the start of the big one?

Mauritius ensuring sustainable development agricultural practices in hydroponics

Hydroponic farming is rapidly emerging as a reliable commercial market in Mauritius agricultural authorities believe, with more and more growers going to greenhouse farming, ensuring sustainable development agricultural practices
The island which is often touted as a paradise getaway destination in the south west Indian Oceans , has over the last 10 years or so developed its hydroponic farming industry.
Growing tomatoes , garlic and onions have been its principal crops, while being near enough to self-sufficiency in tomato production overall this year thus far.

No coal mine in Bacchus Marsh - locals and activists halt exploratory drilling

Locals and activists from Quit Coal stopped exploratory drilling in Bacchus Marsh today, 50km west of Melbourne. About 20 people occupied a drilling rig belonging to Mantle Mining on the side of Glenmore Road, near the corner of Daisybank Lane, Bacchus Marsh.

Two people locked themselves to the Mantle Mining exploratory drilling rig this morning: Paul Connor climbed to the top of the rig and unfurled a banner which read ‘No New Coal Bacchus Marsh’. Bacchus Marsh mother Natasha Mills, who is pregnant with her second child, locked herself to the bottom of the rig and told reporters "I felt a responsibility to stop drilling today because I’m determined to protect my family from a dangerous coal mine, and I don’t want my children’s future to be marked by run-away climate change."

Background: Our neighbour the coal mine? Bacchus Marsh | Quit Coal | Quit Coal Flickr Photostream | Moorabool Environment Group | Sourcewatch: Bacchus Marsh coal project

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Forever Planting (for Peak Oil & Climate Change)

We depend utterly on fossil fuels, especially to grow our food. From natural gas comes the millions of tons of fertilizers. Oil provides herbicides and pesticides. All is planted and harvested with oil power, driven, shipped or flown to your table.

For now. Until fossil fuels become too expensive, too rare, too polluting to use. We only have a short time to find other ways.

Heat kills gardens & guerrilla planting

Listen to/download the audio:
http://www.archive.org/download/ES111207Hot/ES_111211_Gardens_24min.mp3

SHOW LINE UP - 24 minutes

1. "Guerrilla Gardening"

How to create an edible landscape on public and private lands. UK "Guerrilla of Love" Chris Tomlinson explains how he secretly plants food, perennials and trees, in waste lands, untended gardens, and even city streets. Fun interview on serious topic, as economy erodes. Try it where you live.

2. "Global Famine Starts in Texas"

Required listening for heat waves in Australia. Your garden may produce nothing.

A dangerous sting for agriculture: climate change implicated in bee decline

The first in depth national study of wild bees in the US has established that several species have suffered a severe decline in population and range. Honey bees are important for commercial crop pollination of fruit, nut, vegetable and seed production in the United States, indeed globally.