Where does food come from?

[XYZ]

Originally Posted by Varn

Yes food probably comes from God. Nobody can prove that it doesn't. Food certainly pre-dates human intervention.

Nobody can prove God exists, either. It's a matter of belief.

But saying that all food comes from the sun is as abstruse as saying all food comes from God.

You can have all the sun exposure imaginable on any planet, including Earth. But you won't live very long or grow anything without water.

[Varn]

I do like spaghetti too Frank. That is a belief too.

Perhaps as the earth warms it will release more trapped water and hence allow farmers to make more food. The last thing we need is global cooling. That would equate to mass starvation. I think global warming theorists have it backward. It is Gods plan to allow more people, animals and plants to grow.

If humans were to disappear any time, inside 50 years the earth would be just as if we were not here. No real global impact. Nuclear war is natures reset button, nothing more nothing less.

Originally Posted by XYZ

Nobody can prove God exists, either. It's a matter of belief.

But saying that all food comes from the sun is as abstruse as saying all food comes from God.

You can have all the sun exposure imaginable on any planet, including Earth. But you won't live very long or grow anything without water.

[Hersbird]

Exactly my point. You need so much more then the Sun, and water, the Moon, the atmosphere, amazing programming in the seed, minerals, soil, etc, etc, etc. The odds of all these things coming together on their own is the same as a tornado going through a junkyard and assembling a fully functional space shuttle out the other side. I'm just talking about a simple bean sprout, now make me an eagle's eye. I do appreciate the level of faith it takes to think such things organized themselves out of caos, I'll just stick with the obvious this was all designed this way.

[Frank Lee]

Yeah but what about diesel trucks?

[SoobieOut]

Food still made it to the markets before there were diesel trucks.

I was in Italy last year waiting for a passenger train when an electric freight train went by at about 100 mph.

It can be done without black smoke.

[jamesqf]

Originally Posted by Varn

So your profile says you are from earth, is that correct?

As far as I know, anyway. I've sometimes wondered whether I might not have been abandoned as an infant by aliens :-)

Be conservative, think conservatively. It is essential if you are to leave a small impact.

But that definition of conservative is something much different than what most political conservatives seem to believe.

Most conservatives think "just leave me alone do your own thing". Most nonconservatives think that they know best. and want to not allow others to think or act differently than their proscribed definition of right.

Those are what you might call the Barry Goldwater variety of conservative, now something of an endangered species. Most conservatives want you to think and act according to their prescribed definition of right, just as most liberals do. The only difference between the two groups is their particular definition of what's right.

As for believing what you want, fine, unless your beliefs lead you to start hurting other people.

[jamesqf]

Originally Posted by Varn

Perhaps as the earth warms it will release more trapped water and hence allow farmers to make more food. The last thing we need is global cooling. That would equate to mass starvation.

Unfortunately, reality differs from your opinion. Plants that use C3 photosynthesis (which include virtually all food crops except corn & sugarcane) are most efficient at around 75-80 degrees. Their efficiency drops off rapidly above 100F, and the process pretty much shuts down above 115F.

Ever stop to wonder why the real 'grain belts' of the world are in the middle latitudes, and not the tropics?

[freebeard]

Food? It comes out of the ground or ocean.

I can't believe I read the whole thing. Shouldn't this be moved to The Lounge? Remember http://ecomodder.com/forum/showthrea...ing-23123.html? Good times.

Conservative and Liberal as labels has lost all meaning. The only true 'conservatives' are the Amish and the hippies.

[YeahPete]

Who are you to tell other people what they can or can't do. Isn't that what makes America so great? If they got the money to go buy a great big truck. Let them. If I could afford a truck, I would buy one. They come in handy all the time.

Why does it so darn warm in the day and cool at night?
Is it because everyone gets in their cars in the morning and goes to work?
Why is an ancient forest in Antarctica?
What caused the climate to be so tropical in the past?
What caused the Ice Ages?
What is the supposed Mean Earth Temperature?
Why is this thread not in "The Lounge"?

[Ecky]

Originally Posted by YeahPete

Why is this thread not in "The Lounge"?

Good point.

As for global temperatures, from a geological perspective:



^ Keep in mind that as you go further back, the fine detail is lost.

There have been much larger and faster swings caused by "natural" events, such as meteor strikes, giant volcanic eruptions, even changes in living processes such as a new type of photosynthesis coming into existence, and the earth really doesn't mind. It's not a big deal to life in the grand scheme of things if the earth goes through a hothouse period, as within a few thousands or tens of thousands of years, plants will be suited to the new conditions and resume business as usual. Rapid change is bad for the people living at present though, because we (and everything else presently alive) are adapted to present conditions. We're not likely to make it through the adjustment period.

People ought to be concerned about people, not so much the earth. Attempting to preserve current conditions, or at least lower the rate of change, probably just happens to be in our best interests.