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One Small Example
Peak Oil—weve all heard about it, but few of us have any idea what this will mean in terms of day-to-day existence were such a scenario to come to pass. Well, the truth about Peak Oil is that were already past that and well on the way to what will occur in the aftermath, especially with regard to food. American subsidized agribusiness relies heavily on fossil fuels, from fertilizers and pesticides to the fuel to operate combines and mega-tractors and distribute agricultural products throughout the country. So, no fuel means no food. This is scary enough, but we do have a model of what CAN happen given the political will and the cooperation of people.
In the 1990s, the Soviet Union collapsed. Until then, East Germany and Russia had purchased all the sugar that Cuba could grow and ship. In return, Cuba received wheat, rice and tractors to continue their agricultural revolution. But with the end of the Soviets, economic support disappeared. Almost overnight. There were no further shipments of oil or food commodities. With the embargo established by the U.S., Cuba was literally on its own.
Public transportation shut down, television and movie theaters went dark. Improvisation became a way of life. But you cant improvise food. According to one U.N. agency, in 1989, Cubans were consuming about 3,000 calories daily per person. Within a few years, that caloric intake plummeted to 1,900 calories per day. Its as if each person lost one meal per day, every day, for months and years. Its estimated that during this time, individual Cubans lost 20 pounds each.
What did they do? According to one Cuban their plan of action was, made easier because we had no choice. Or we did, but the choice was will we cry or will we work. There was a strong desire to lie down and cry, but we decided to do things instead. What did they do? (This is a lesson for us.) Cuba stopped exporting sugar and started growing its own food again. But because they had no access to the fossil fuel created fertilizers and pesticides, they had to resort to organic gardening. What they have achieved is the worlds largest model of organic semi-sustainable agriculture.
So here is how they did it: All vacant lots were turned into gardens. Everywhere. In the cities, in the countryside. If there was land that wasnt being used for anything else, people in the community got together and turned the land into a productive garden. In Havana, a city of 2.3 million people, these pocket-sized gardens have produced over 300,000 tons of food last year. This accounts for nearly the entire supply of vegetables for the population as well as a substantial portion of its rice and meat. Yes, there are still shortages, particularly meat and milk, but Cubans have gotten their one meal back and have as much to eat now as before the collapse.
In Havana, there are more than 200 of these urban plots. On one such plot of several acres, sixty-four people actively farm the land. They make a decent living, since they earn a regular wage and a share of the excess profits from the sales of vegetables. In addition, these plots are incredibly productive. Each square meter (about 10 ¾ square feet) of land produces 5 kilograms (over 1,100 pounds) of food per year—a tremendous amount, and all without costly and damaging pesticides and fertilizers.
Because there is the need to avoid expensive techniques (GMO-modified seeds, fossil-based fuels, derivative fertilizers, and so forth) there is an interest in finding old-fashioned answers. For the Cubans, this has meant a return to animal powered cultivation. In 1990, there were only about 50,000 teams of oxen and fewer still who knew how to use them. Education was the key. Cuban oxen-drivers taught others, and they taught others still, until now there are about 400,000 oxen teams in use in Cuban agriculture. The result? The soil is healthier and suffers less from compaction caused by heavy tractors.
So, what can Peak Oil mean for us? It can mean disaster, or it can mean that we return to sane and workable solutions to provide for ourselves. The question becomes, when do we wake up to the reality of Peak Oil and how soon do we COOPERATE in implementing the solutions?
Note: For readers who are interested, there is a DVD entitled How Cuba Survived Peak Oil that explains how Cuba managed in the wake of the Soviet collapse to provide for its people. Check it out.
| Comments (1) |
On March 17, 2010 della said:
Awesome Information...Kind of Surprised. But, found it informative.Wow, guess I really am ignorant...Never thought of myself that way. But, now that I do...I am reconsidering...Am I or Am I not dump... |
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