SOC 808 Lecture Notes - Lecture 10: Intercropping, Michael Pollan, Peak Oil
12 Nov 2018
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Document Summary
Political ecology: gives tension and focuses on political economical tendencies, power imbalances that are nested in our system. Is accomplished by fossil fuel machines: in 2012, almost 70% of all us farmland was controlled by only 8% of landholders, in canada, the number of farms peaked in 1941 and fell fourfold in 70 years. A political ecology approach - canada and us produce. Soil mining: reduced recycling, reduced soil, more weeds and insects, increase risk of animal health, increased food safety concerns (cucumbers) Hidden environmental costs of cheap food: michael pollan - real costs are hidden in these externalities. Peak oil: most accessible oil has been discovered, low cost oil reserves in decline, extracting remaining reserves will be more costly, 2nd half consumed faster than 1st half. Mitigation trying to change scale of destruction such as cutting green house gases. Adaptation: - dealing with problems as they are happening now. Changes to the family farm: moving from horses to tractors.
