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Um. Doesn't technological innovation often make things cheaper? Is this a distinction without a difference, or am I missing something?
by mandmandam 2y ago
Um. Doesn't technological innovation often make things cheaper?
Is this a distinction without a difference, or am I missing something?
- Iulioh 2y agoUhm. "cheaper than before" usually yes. But we are talking about different production methods, maybe hydroponics could never be cheaper than growing stuff in dirt because the production method can be optimized only so much. An "advanced" (different) production methods is not inherently cheaper than a "traditional" method.
- versteegen 2y agoHydroponics usually isn't competing on cost, it's competing on other axes, such as having a greater amount of control. Just the same as greenhouses vs growing in the open. Farming is mostly about dealing with or preventing everything that could go wrong.
- SideburnsOfDoom 2y agoIt's a hard ask to make space in high-rises in cities cheaper than farmland.
- mandmandam 2y agoIt is, yeah for sure. No argument there. I do wonder though... How much cheaper is it really? What if the externalized costs were factored in? Currently all manner of costs are put onto the environment rather than the producer or consumer: Soil erosion, soil degradation, fertilizer and pesticide runoff, biodiversity losses, greenhouse gas emissions, etc... All of which are huge issues, which we can't keep ignoring like we are. And even after ignoring all that), most of 'the West' still needs to heavily subsidize farmers to make them competitive with imported crops.