Environmental Problems, Their Causes, and Sustainability 1

Currently, organic farming is used on less than 1%of the world’s cropland (0.2% in the United States) buton 6–10% of the cropland in many European countries.In 2002, global sales of organic foods amounted toabout $23 billion and such sales are growing rapidly inthe United States, Canada, and much of Europe.Most proponents of more sustainable agricultureare not opposed to high-yield agriculture. Instead, theysee it as vital for protecting the earth’s biodiversity byreducing the need to cultivate new and often marginalland. They call for using environmentally sustainableforms of both high-yield polyculture (pp. 273 and 278)and high-yield monoculture for growing crops.How Can We Make the Transitionto More Sustainable Agriculture?Get SeriousMore research, demonstration projects, governmentsubsidies, and training can promote a shift to moresustainable agriculture.Analysts suggest four major strategies to help farmersmake the transition to more sustainable agriculture.First, greatly increase research on sustainable agricultureand improving human nutrition. Second, set updemonstration projects throughout each country sofarmers can see how more sustainable agricultural systemswork. Third, provide subsidies and increased foreignaid to encourage its use. Fourth, establish trainingprograms in sustainable agriculture for farmers andgovernment agricultural officials and encourage thecreation of college curricula in sustainable agricultureand human nutrition.Phasing in more sustainable agriculture involvesapplying the four principles of sustainability (Figure9-15, p. 174) to producing food. The goal is to feedthe world’s people while sustaining the earth’s naturalcapital and living off the natural income itprovides. This will not be easy, but it can be done. Figure14-30 lists some ways you can promote more sustainableagriculture.The sector of the economy that seems likely to unravel first isfood. Eroding soils, deteriorating rangelands, collapsingfisheries, falling water tables, and rising temperatures areconverging to make it difficult to expand food production fastenough to keep up with the demand.LESTER R. BROWNCRITICAL THINKING1. Summarize the major economic and ecological advantagesand limitations of each of the following proposalsfor increasing world food supplies and reducing hungerover the next 30 years: (a) cultivating more land by clearingtropical forests and irrigating arid lands, (b) catchingmore fish in the open sea, (c) producing more fish andshellfish with aquaculture, and (d) increasing the yieldper area of cropland.2. List five ways in which your lifestyle directly or indirectlycontributes to soil erosion.3. What are the three most important actions you wouldtake to reduce hunger (a) in the country where you liveand (b) in the world?4. Some have suggested that rangelands could be used toraise wild grazing animals for meat instead of conventionallivestock. Others consider it unethical to raise andkill wild herbivores for food. What do you think? Explain.5. Should governments phase in agricultural tax breaksand subsidies to encourage farmers to switch to moresustainable farming? Explain your answer.6. Explain why you support or oppose greatly increaseduse of (a) genetically modified food, (b) perennial foodcrops, and (c) polyculture.7. Suppose you live near a coastal area and a companywants to use a fairly large area of coastal marshland foran aquaculture operation. If you were an elected local official,would you support or oppose such a project? Explain.What safeguards or regulations would you imposeon the operation?8. Congratulations! You are in charge of the world. Listthe three most important features of (a) your agriculturalpolicy, (b) your policy to reduce soil erosion, and (c) yourpolicy for more sustainable harvesting and farming offish and shellfish.PROJECTSWhat Can You Do?•Waste less foodSustainable Agriculture• Reduce or eliminate meat consumption• Feed pets balanced grain foods instead of meat• Use organic farming to grow some of your food• Buy organic food• Compost your food wastesFigure 14-30 What can you do? Ways to promote moresustainable agriculture.1. Conduct a survey of soil erosion and soil conservationin and around your community on cropland, constructionsites, mining sites, grazing land, and deforestedland. Use these data to develop a plan for reducing soilerosion in your community.http://biology.brookscole.com/miller14303