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Re: energy-efficiency
Bob MacGregor wrote:
>
> I am curious whether anyone has done analysis of the relative energy
> cost of production of emerging sustainable agriculture approaches.
>
> The petroleum-based agricultural system typical of North America and
> Europe could prove to be inferior to the so-called "backward" or
> "primitive" agricultural systems in 3rd world countries if/when another
Petroleum based products can be replaced with hemp products.
> runup of oil prices occurs. If the Chinese economy (for example)
> continues its current pace of expansion for a few more years, the
> increased per-capita Chinese energy consumption will cut into the life
> expectancy of world oil reserves significantly. This also would result in
> a serious shock to energy-intensive, 1st world agriculture.
> In this light, the innovators who are striving for less input-intensive
> means of production may be positioning themselves quite well for a
> future of dramatically more-expensive inputs. Unfortunately, this is not
> true of systems which substitute mechanical energy for chemicals (eg in
> weed control).
Growing hemp requires very little or no pesticides. No wonder the
multi-nationals are against it.
>
> R. Macgregor
> rdmacgregor@gov.pe.ca
Shug
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