Discussion? - Diversity

In the news today. The Biodiversity Doomsday Vault in the Arctic holds samples of the world's most important seeds to assure genetic diversity in the case of worldwide catastrophe.  (Global Crop Diversity Trust)

Interestingly, some genetic diversity has already been lost with "gene vaults in both Iraq and Afghanistan destroyed by war and a seed bank in the Philippines annihilated by a typhoon."

Thoughts? Comments?

And with the melting ice caps at the poles, we think the seeds are safe there why? 

I saw a short video on one of these seed vaults.  It's way up north so that it doesn't use as much energy to keep it cool and dry.

I have heard about these vaults before but never really given them much thought, seems silly really, in the event of a world wide catastrophe one would have to think, who is going to be left to use these seeds, and will they even have access to them.

It's kinda like the shelters in Washington for the politicians in the event of a nuclear attack or other catastrophe that wipes out the population. Imagine a USA with nothing left but politicians.

Back to the seed vault, this is another reason to create your own seed vault, if we are to survive any type of catastrophe I believe we will need to rely on our own preparedness and not rely on something the government or corporations have in place for us.

Charley's post makes me think that seed vaults would be nice to have in the sustainable neighborhood checklist, (should we ever create one). Like emergency centers should have them watertight in case of a flood or fire or something, along with water filters and photovoltaic panels.

Of course, the localized seeds come first. Right now few neighborhoods could boast that. And until it's going strong, and even then, the 'seed vault' is just spread through all the gardeners who've been working on bioregional strains for years.

Security through shared surplus, rather than security locked in a bank.

Charley Hoke wrote:
I have heard about these vaults before but never really given them much thought, seems silly really, in the event of a world wide catastrophe one would have to think, who is going to be left to use these seeds, and will they even have access to them.

It's kinda like the shelters in Washington for the politicians in the event of a nuclear attack or other catastrophe that wipes out the population. Imagine a USA with nothing left but politicians.

Back to the seed vault, this is another reason to create your own seed vault, if we are to survive any type of catastrophe I believe we will need to rely on our own preparedness and not rely on something the government or corporations have in place for us.

the last part of your post is the first important thing. Most likely even a "worldwide catastrophe" is going to leave many many survivors and not wipe out the population entirely. there will be pockets of people who would be directly unnaffected and who would succumb or suffer only due to isolation. Many people will die off who have no preparation. I believe however that  precautions to maintain political structure and the saving of seeds is prudent. eventually allowing the return of a more modern society on a much faster timeline. leadership is important to organize, delegate and implement lifesaving plans.  Saving seeds on a personal level is a shrt term survival strategy what about three genreations down the road? Saving seeds on a large scale could allow farming operations to continue or be reinstated. I don't have any fantasical ideas about how wonderful the world would be if there were no large scale farms or leaders. It would result in much suffering. There are benefits to modern society that even most hardcore independent, self reliant people reap. I don't want the return of the stone age. 

"Saving seeds on a personal level is a shrt term survival strategy what about three genreations down the road?"

"I don't have any fantasical ideas about how wonderful the world would be if there were no large scale farms or leaders. It would result in much suffering."

Saving seeds on a personal level is the only reason that the genetic diversity we've got left still exists.  All those factory farms aren't saving a single type of seed.  All they care about is another RoundUp-Ready corn variety that they can buy from Dow or Monsanto. They don't care about diversity.

If there were an abrupt loss of thousand-acre factory farms, yes, there would be widespread suffering and starvation.  The lack of genetic diversity in GM crops is a food-security risk that is so high that the ignorance of it is absolutely astounding. One virus, one new insect, and we could be facing a nightmare.

It wasn't always like this.  Back when the Great Depression happened, America was a country of small farms everywhere. These farms are what kept this country eating.  Suppose we had a Great Depression two months from now?  It would make the last one look like a Sunday School picnic. 

How much actual food is grown in your state, for consumption in your state? Not much. There are only a few things that will return food security to America (and we haven't got it now):

1) Genetic diversity in seed.
2) Encourage the return of the small family farm.
3) Pay the farmer what his crops are actually worth.
4) Get off the chemical wagon and back to natural farming.

Our government has screwed up everything it touches or controls, so why have the people allowed it to cripple the educational system (we're the bottom of the barrel of the industrialized nations), fouled up the economy, and allowed greed to run America and the rest of the world?

Google an article titled "545 People" by Charley Reese.

Sue