"Sucked dry" is right. One of my students recently showed me a text called
The Atlas of the Real World: Mapping the Way We Live. It's fascinating and recommended, especially if you want to know truly how quickly we are running through the earth's "resources."
The first page I turned to in it revealed the rate of aquifer recharge throughout the world, the best being Costa Rica at 76% or there about and the worst being Bahrain at 0%. In other words, for every gallon of ground water (the source of most drinking water) Costa Rica uses, 3/4 of that gallon is replaced through rain water recharging an aquifer (subterranean or ground water). In Bahrain, nothing is recharged or replaced.
And what does the Atlas identify as the average rate of aquifer recharge in the United States? Try 16%. So imagine taking a dollar out of your savings account and putting 16 cents in to replace it. Eventually, and probably sooner than later, you have nothing.
Industrial agriculture is having a tremendous effect on the drawn down of aquifers, and almost no one is talking about this. Local farms and biodynamic, sustainable and permaculture systems that use rain cachment systems are the way to go.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Sachita
I wanted to share this. Its such a powerful video for me:
http://www.theeconomicsofhappiness.org/helena-on-tedx
Small businesses locally producing and purchasing basic needs help create healthier communities. Farmers markets and small businesses revitalize the economy sucked dry by globalization. Let's become more aware of how our resources and energies can be efficiently used to increase healthy connections to the natural world.
On another note I have been visualizing and thinking about ways I an turn the farm into a small community of like minds. I have no doubt that not only could it be a wonderful place to live, a true sustainable queer commune but can also be profitable. I am still a lone trying to do this but hoping the right people step forward. |