Go organic and save the planet?

Question

If as some suggest we do away with pestidides,fertilizers(chemical),and corporate farms in an effort to reduce emissions related to green house gasses,how will we replace the food lost to insects,disease,and lowered production?
And,how will we force the American consumer to pay more for a limited food supply,when we already hear complaints about current food prices?

Source: I was in the agricultural business for a while.(cattle,pigs,chickens,rabbits,row crops,hay,etc)

pesticides,not pestidides.dang fingers !

Also,
posted this in Politics,because the effects of global warming and the economic impact will be a top issue during the next election.

Answer 1

I used to work in an agricultural policy analysis center, so I am somewhat familiar with this problem as well. Recent advances, and some not so recent, have made it possible for agriculturalists to grow more and more crops with higher yields to feed the world. These advances have lead to lower prices for food. If we were to go back and undo some of these changes, prices would rise, people would be starving somewhere. Maybe not in the US, but certainly to one of the many countries we export our food to. Based on what I've learned (and I'm no expert) it is not possible to go back now, unless you can replace a given method with another one that gets similar or better results.

Answer 2

while organic is... well ... healthier, there are better and more pressing ways to reduce pollution. I believe golf courses produce more fertilizer pollution than farms. Maybe we could find a better way to keep them looking good. And there is 3,000 times more geothermal energy produced under the US than we use in a year http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/11/071129183725.htm so why aren't we using that for general electrical power?


It's easy to go green.. and practical... if we are just willing to put in the time and money to start it up. No reason to stress over "What's the best way to dispose of my banana peel" ... and yes.. I have heard someone stress over that... there are better things to worry about.

Answer 3

Well, first, unless my elementary biology is rusty, I believe plants release oxygen, not CO2. Now your end of agriculture is another story! LOL

But seriously, there are plenty of organic ways to control pests and disease in plants, and, if you do it right, maintain production. And here's just one report on the results of unwise farming processes on a lake in Florida. http://www.organicanews.com/news/article.cfm?story_id=2