South Carolina wrote:
Podcast 32 was quite inspiring and I was prepared to post a number of comments concerning:
How permaculture can nourish the environment / More meager diets might be better for Americans / how mass production provides a single point of failure.
South Carolina, I had some of the same thoughts you did about diet, food (or food-like substance) is so easily obtained in the US it is easy to consume way too many calories. The video you posted does a good job demonstrating Paul's point that there is a lot of wasted space that could be producing food.
I would like to ask Helen why she wants to avoid the use of animals in her permaculture. She seems willing to manipulate the plants in nature, thus indirectly manipulating what organisms will be attracted. She even mentions getting help from soil organisms and insects. But, apparently, she has a problem directly manipulating the animals. Why?
From my perspective, each element of nature has beneficial uses, including the animals. At very least, it seems, humans are a part of nature. Whether by evolution or by divine inheritance humans are at the top of the food chain, not because of our strength or speed, but because of our intelligence. If a lion forfeited speed and strength in the pursuit of food, the lion would starve. Humans will starve too, if we forfeit our ability to manipulate nature, in all its forms, in order to obtain food.
I use to think the decision to not use pesticides and to raise animals humanely was a moral one. That humans had a responsibility to treat nature and the environment well. Now I think, not only is it immoral to use pesticides and raise animals in CAFO's, its also stupid--because, it isn't as productive, especially if you consider quality. (maybe it isn't as productive acre by acre, but you can fit a small scale food forest anywhere).
All just my opinion. I'd like to ask Helen the question, not because I think she is wrong, but from listening to the podcast, I'm sure she would have a thought provoking response. She has a lot of experience and I don't even know enough to do a good job articulating my thoughts. I love the back and forth between Helen and Paul. It really gets me thinking.
