Should we return to a largely agrarian culture?

[Schneibster]

Should we return to a largely agrarian culture?

Only if we intend on killing two billion people.

[Berthold]

Anybody ever read a story called "Forgetfulness"?

Just found out it's by John W. Campbell as "Don A. Stuart". Couldn't yet find a free pdf of it, however.

[Gawdzilla Sama]

Anybody ever read a story called "Forgetfulness"?

Just found out it's by John W. Campbell as "Don A. Stuart". Couldn't yet find a free pdf of it, however.

You should ask somebody.

[amused]

I have NO desire to be a farmer. High density walkable city living is fine by me, as is specializing in a profession that demands brainpower over musclepower. What is not sustainable are the suburbs that require all these damn cars, roads, and oilwars. Plow them all under and let those who want to farm there do so.

[Gawdzilla Sama]

I have NO desire to be a farmer. High density walkable city living is fine by me, as is specializing in a profession that demands brainpower over musclepower. What is not sustainable are the suburbs that require all these damn cars, roads, and oilwars. Plow them all under and let those who want to farm there do so.

The possibility that "city farms" might work is also a lure there. One skyscraper would replace hundreds of acres of farms. The "truck farm" would become the "elevator farm".

[Audley Strange]

My local community, (which has been prepared for Armageddon since at least 1832) is working on convincing the Local Government to give the locals ownership of a bit of waste ground so we can have our own fruit and veg garden right here in the heart of Glasgow, but getting our council to do anything is a task worthy of mecha-Hercules.

[Jason]

I have NO desire to be a farmer. High density walkable city living is fine by me, as is specializing in a profession that demands brainpower over musclepower. What is not sustainable are the suburbs that require all these damn cars, roads, and oilwars. Plow them all under and let those who want to farm there do so.

The possibility that "city farms" might work is also a lure there. One skyscraper would replace hundreds of acres of farms. The "truck farm" would become the "elevator farm".

Hmm.. wasn't there an article about 2 years ago in SciAm describing urban farming? I have most of my books and magazines in storage.

[Tyrannical]

I have NO desire to be a farmer. High density walkable city living is fine by me, as is specializing in a profession that demands brainpower over musclepower. What is not sustainable are the suburbs that require all these damn cars, roads, and oilwars. Plow them all under and let those who want to farm there do so.

The possibility that "city farms" might work is also a lure there. One skyscraper would replace hundreds of acres of farms. The "truck farm" would become the "elevator farm".

You still need a cheap source of nuclear power or some futuristic cold fusion device to power the grow lights for everyone to grow their own food.

[Gawdzilla Sama]

I have NO desire to be a farmer. High density walkable city living is fine by me, as is specializing in a profession that demands brainpower over musclepower. What is not sustainable are the suburbs that require all these damn cars, roads, and oilwars. Plow them all under and let those who want to farm there do so.

The possibility that "city farms" might work is also a lure there. One skyscraper would replace hundreds of acres of farms. The "truck farm" would become the "elevator farm".

You still need a cheap source of nuclear power or some futuristic cold fusion device to power the grow lights for everyone to grow their own food.

Um, they have these things called "windows" that are pretty cheap to run.

[Tyrannical]

I have NO desire to be a farmer. High density walkable city living is fine by me, as is specializing in a profession that demands brainpower over musclepower. What is not sustainable are the suburbs that require all these damn cars, roads, and oilwars. Plow them all under and let those who want to farm there do so.

The possibility that "city farms" might work is also a lure there. One skyscraper would replace hundreds of acres of farms. The "truck farm" would become the "elevator farm".

You still need a cheap source of nuclear power or some futuristic cold fusion device to power the grow lights for everyone to grow their own food.

Um, they have these things called "windows" that are pretty cheap to run.

Then everyone in the sky scraper could get a few hours of windowsill light. I thought you meant a skyscraper farm.

[Gawdzilla Sama]

The trick is to have two stories of space instead of one. You grow crops according to their need for direct sunlight, those who need less or indirect on the north side. The two story windows would provide more available light, and you would actually get more area with direct sunshine in the winter when the sun is lower in the sky (of course being offset by the shorter day.) Having the windows mirrorized on the inside would also help. If you do this right you also get a heat column that can power a "wind turbine" on the roof to provide electricity for the building.

This is not a pipe dream, btw, folks are looking at this with a mind toward implementing it. Fresh veggies in New York City in the winter? Gold mine.

[Tyrannical]

The trick is to have two stories of space instead of one. You grow crops according to their need for direct sunlight, those who need less or indirect on the north side. The two story windows would provide more available light, and you would actually get more area with direct sunshine in the winter when the sun is lower in the sky (of course being offset by the shorter day.) Having the windows mirrorized on the inside would also help. If you do this right you also get a heat column that can power a "wind turbine" on the roof to provide electricity for the building.

This is not a pipe dream, btw, folks are looking at this with a mind toward implementing it. Fresh veggies in New York City in the winter? Gold mine.

I've heard they are starting to build green houses on the roofs of buildings, which seems a good use for otherwise empty space.

[Svartalf]

Should we return to a largely agrarian culture? Can humans give up their fancy toys and hot fads in order to keep the planet from going through something akin to menopause?

I don't know if you guys could, but I am a urbanite through and through, and would definitely have difficulties adapting to a world without phones, computers, internet, and microwave ovens.

[Gawdzilla Sama]

Should we return to a largely agrarian culture? Can humans give up their fancy toys and hot fads in order to keep the planet from going through something akin to menopause?

I don't know if you guys could, but I am a urbanite through and through, and would definitely have difficulties adapting to a world without phones, computers, internet, and microwave ovens.

In that case I think the world would dwindle back down to what I could see with my own eyes. But I did say "largely" there. We have six internet capable devices in this house, and seven phones. I could really live without some of that.

[Clinton Huxley]

Should we return to a largely agrarian culture? Can humans give up their fancy toys and hot fads in order to keep the planet from going through something akin to menopause?

This agrarian culture will need feudal overlords to rule it. Count me in.