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Only 60 years of fertile topsoil left - 30-40 year for the UK

10 replies

Whowantstogotothepark · 23/02/2020 08:24

I only learnt this recently and it has shocked the life out of me:

world.time.com/2012/12/14/what-if-the-worlds-soil-runs-out/

www.scientificamerican.com/article/only-60-years-of-farming-left-if-soil-degradation-continues/

www.theguardian.com/environment/2017/oct/24/uk-30-40-years-away-eradication-soil-fertility-warns-michael-gove

Is it not reasonable to assume that if topsoil runs out then food for humans runs out? Also, to obtain sufficiently nutrient-rich topsoil for agriculture would mean more deforestation and turning more land over to agriculture, which means even more loss of biodiversity? Which again results in less food.

OP posts:
leckford · 23/02/2020 08:27

The planet needs fewer humans, everywhere

BillywilliamV · 23/02/2020 08:29

Okay, who do you suggest we get rid of first?

Horehound · 23/02/2020 08:29

No because by then all our food will be grown in a lab.

Scary!

Ylvamoon · 23/02/2020 08:34

A UK version of Terra Preta is the answer. I'm sure scientists are working on it. After all we always strive to increase the crop yield. the articles are probably anti vegan propaganda

InfiniteSheldon · 23/02/2020 08:40

leckford has this nailed the only solution is less humans its unacceptable and unpalatable but true. It's a fact not a judgement: either we learn to live with a changing planet or we halve then control our population. A healthy planet and a constantly increasing population are not compatible.

Yestermost · 23/02/2020 08:40

I guess it might be anti-vegan propaganda for thick people.

flowerycurtain · 23/02/2020 08:42

Read some of James Wong's twitter page. Especially in early January.

Whowantstogotothepark · 23/02/2020 08:54

Anti-vegan propaganda? The source of the information is the UN and one of the articles is from Scientific American. Also, all forms of agriculture, cattle and crops, contribute to the degradation of soil.

Of course, biotechnology with microbe-grown meat and hydroponics for plants will be much more commonplace. But could that sustain the entire world population?

The human population will come down. The effects of climate change and food scarcity will result in that. I reckon, at best, western governments will turn a blind eye when the world's poorest are hit first. And at worst, there will be wars to cover up or allow large sections of the population to wiped out. I do believe that we entering that stage now.

Also, most of this research came out in 2012, which is nearly a decade and brings us down to 50 years. For my part, I will be switching to organic food and will support schemes that allow food producers to be tracked so you can see which farms use sustainable methods.

OP posts:
Horehound · 23/02/2020 17:26

The human population will come down
Good. We've ruined the planet so we should die because it's our cause.

Likethebattle · 23/02/2020 17:39

The sooner the human race becomes extinct the better. We’re no better than parasites, sometimes I think not being able to have children is actually a good thing as I don’t have to worry about leaving offspring this broken planet!

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