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Re: The Limits To Growth



In article 
<l.mcfadden-1311961000390001@dreamer-dog.pai.utexas.edu>,
   l.mcfadden@mail.utexas.edu (Loretta McFadden) wrote:
>Harold wrote:
>> USDA has been studying soil erosion for years, and would 
like nothing
>> more than to prove it to be a large problem, and hence 
generator of
>> programs for them to administer.  Their survey found the 
average loss
>> to be 7 tons a year per acre of farmland, while natural 
regeneration
>> runs at 5 tons a year/acre.  Call it a net loss of 2 tons 
per acre.
>> Two tons an acre is 1/65 of an inch.  Thus, in 65 years, 
the average
>> farmland will lose 1 inch of topsoil.  Assuming it has 
been farmed the
>> entire 65 years.  Some fallow years will make up for this 
loss.
>> 
>Harold - "natural regeneration?" And how many conventional 
farmers add
>anything but petroleum-derived fertilizers, herbicides and 
pesticides to
>their soil? Tell me, what do you know about farming and the 
pressures
>conventional farmers are under to strip-mine the soil? 
"Fallow years?"
>You're sticking your head in that denatured soil and 
closing your eyes to
>reality. 
>
>You make assertions, present no references, state that even 
the press agrees
>> with you (like that's a good reference!), then question 
the motive of
>> the character of the previous poster. 
>
>You're right - other than name some publications, I 
couldn't be specific
>about studies, stats, numbers - so I'll butt out and leave 
you to be
>refuted by the people who've got the information at their 
fingertips. Of
>which there are many, I see. My point about the mainstream 
press is that
>they're generally unimaginative, unquestioning and not 
interested in any
>new information unless they're cudgeled over the head with 
it - like alot
>of people who prefer not to face the damage we've done to 
our world. 
>
>Betsy


Oooo!  An assertive female!  Go for it, Betsy.  BTW, if you 
want to lock horns with Harold, you better have your facts 
straight before you begin.



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