4 ms·

> cow farts It's ironic because the way to build topsoil and reverse desertification (which captures carbon) is just well managed grazing.

wlib 6y ago
Glad to see this, a great related TED talk by Allan Savory that introduces why this is true can be found here https://youtu.be/vpTHi7O66pI https://youtu.be/vpTHi7O66pI
- patchrickj 6y ago
  Note that many experts have serious reservations about Savory's claims. A couple good summaries: http://publications.lib.chalmers.se/records/fulltext/244566/local_244566.pdf http://publications.lib.chalmers.se/records/fulltext/244566/... https://www.ars.usda.gov/ARSUserFiles/4472/RANGELANDS-D-13-00044.pdf https://www.ars.usda.gov/ARSUserFiles/4472/RANGELANDS-D-13-0...
Spooky23 6y ago
It is weird that there is this symbiotic relationship between environmentalists and industry.
- PaulHoule 6y ago
  Not at all. In the nonprofit sector, the term "sustainable" is a euphemism for "can keep doing it" or "financially sustainable." If a group wants to retain it's privileges (say the banks) it can feed back 1% of its profits to buy politicians off year after year. Campaign finance spending limits just make it cheap. Ordinary people who want to change the status quo to say, fight corruption or just simply survive the next century in the face of climate change, might expect to fight for 30 years to change the system and face the certainty of falling into despair in that time. If anybody can find powerful allies they make it much more powerful than they can accomplish "something" even if it isn't what they set out to do.
- rhinoceraptor 6y ago
  It's certainly bad for Monsanto's bottom line if people eat less monocropped processed food, and more pastured meat (note this isn't an attack on GMO). There's no toxic fertilizer, no proprietary seeds or pesticides to sell. In fact, there's pretty much nothing that you need to raise pastured animals, other than trucks and fencing.
Cthulhu_ 6y ago
I feel like that's a bit of an oversimplification; better land management should also be on the forefront. Not trying to 100% utilize the land, but leave space for forests, shrubs, tall / unkempt grasses, etc.

wlib 6y ago

Glad to see this, a great related TED talk by Allan Savory that introduces why this is true can be found here https://youtu.be/vpTHi7O66pI https://youtu.be/vpTHi7O66pI

patchrickj 6y ago
Note that many experts have serious reservations about Savory's claims. A couple good summaries: http://publications.lib.chalmers.se/records/fulltext/244566/local_244566.pdf http://publications.lib.chalmers.se/records/fulltext/244566/... https://www.ars.usda.gov/ARSUserFiles/4472/RANGELANDS-D-13-00044.pdf https://www.ars.usda.gov/ARSUserFiles/4472/RANGELANDS-D-13-0...

Spooky23 6y ago

It is weird that there is this symbiotic relationship between environmentalists and industry.

PaulHoule 6y ago
Not at all. In the nonprofit sector, the term "sustainable" is a euphemism for "can keep doing it" or "financially sustainable." If a group wants to retain it's privileges (say the banks) it can feed back 1% of its profits to buy politicians off year after year. Campaign finance spending limits just make it cheap. Ordinary people who want to change the status quo to say, fight corruption or just simply survive the next century in the face of climate change, might expect to fight for 30 years to change the system and face the certainty of falling into despair in that time. If anybody can find powerful allies they make it much more powerful than they can accomplish "something" even if it isn't what they set out to do.
rhinoceraptor 6y ago
It's certainly bad for Monsanto's bottom line if people eat less monocropped processed food, and more pastured meat (note this isn't an attack on GMO). There's no toxic fertilizer, no proprietary seeds or pesticides to sell. In fact, there's pretty much nothing that you need to raise pastured animals, other than trucks and fencing.

Cthulhu_ 6y ago

I feel like that's a bit of an oversimplification; better land management should also be on the forefront. Not trying to 100% utilize the land, but leave space for forests, shrubs, tall / unkempt grasses, etc.