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Ironclad facts, science, studies, & research are great. However, if we are facing imminent collapse of pollinator populations (which would lead to a lot of huma
by ip26 8y ago
Ironclad facts, science, studies, & research are great. However, if we are facing imminent collapse of pollinator populations (which would lead to a lot of human suffering) the precautionary principal starts to look interesting.
In other words, if we run the risk of population collapse within ten years, and population collapse will lead to crop failure and mass starvation & death, but rigorous studies on cause will take fifteen years to complete... do we wait for them to finish?
- maxerickson 8y agoFor the most part, our calorie crops do not rely on insects. For example, corn is wind pollinated and wheat, soy, rice and potatoes are self pollinating. Having reduced access to things like almonds and apples is gonna suck, but even with 0 insects it's still going to be reduced access, as hand pollination is quite a fast process.
- monetus 8y agoI have an ominous feeling when I think about how the changes in the topsoil's mycology could affect the crops we rely on.
- NeedMoreTea 8y agoI wonder how easy, or affordable, it will be to maintain a balanced diet if all insect pollinated fruit and veg becomes unavailable. Quite apart from the tendency of people to like tasty and varied food over dull but sufficient intake. More importantly I wonder what unforeseen unintended consequences will arise from disassembling food chains, after we've lost those species, and it's too late.
- maxerickson 8y agoI'm not dismissing the consequences of mass insect die off, I'm dismissing mass starvation as one of them. I guess expecting people to link "calorie crops" to "mass starvation" is high.