4 ms·
> This is a potentially world-changing development. ... potentially negative? It seems cheap, abundant nitrogen fertilizers is an environmental disaster waiti
by hcarvalhoalves 12y ago
> This is a potentially world-changing development.
... potentially negative?
It seems cheap, abundant nitrogen fertilizers is an environmental disaster waiting to happen.
Saves energy and increases other problems by an order of magnitude: water poisoning, algae blooms, impact on the fishing industry, acid rain and other problems by caused by NO2, nutrient depletion (by soil acidification), intoxication by metals (Al, Cu)...
- mikeyouse 12y ago> It seems cheap, abundant nitrogen fertilizers is an environmental disaster waiting to happen. Completely hyperbolic. Nothing you've described will be any more likely with cheaper Nitrogen. Modern farms are extremely nitrogen efficient and runoff can easily be eliminated if the farms are incentivized to do so (aka appropriately regulated). Artificially keeping the price of fertilizer high as a pollution-control measure is needlessly cruel to the poor. In many countries, the poor spend over 50% of their income on food. Reducing the cost of a main food input by a substantial portion would mean an immediate raise in the standard of living for some of the world's poorest people. It would also open up previously inhospitable areas to agriculture, further helping those in less fortunate circumstances.