Wednesday, 16 Aug 2006

Today we proudly present the debut of Victual Reality, a new column by organic farmer (and Gristmill contributor) Tom Philpott that will explore the politics of food and agriculture. Wanna know why, even with Wal-Mart and Whole Foods jumping on the buy-local bandwagon, small farms are doomed without big-time intervention? Wanna know why your tomatoes always taste a little off? Dig in and find out.

From Bad to Thirst

Water crisis doesn't care if countries are rich or poor

Water crisis: not just for poor countries anymore. Industrialized nations must make drastic policy changes if they wish to maintain water supplies, warns the World Wildlife Fund today. In cities from Seville to Sydney to Sacramento, water has become a hot political issue as supply declines thanks to everything from global warming to wetlands loss. A report by the International Water Management Institute, also published today, said that a third of the world faces water shortages; water use has increased by six times in the last century and will double again by 2050, mostly from agricultural use. WWF suggests a combination of solutions -- conserving, repairing infrastructure, reducing pollution, and requiring agriculture interests in rich countries to pay more for water and be held accountable for efficient use -- but noted that implementing common-sense measures "in the face of habitual practices and intense lobbying by vested interests has been very difficult." You think?


When faced with the reality of climate change, everyone has a different reaction. Some people snort and scoff (we dislike those people). Some people propose solutions (we like those people). And some people want to run far, far away and hide in a corner (um, we actually are those people). Today a reader asks advice maven Umbra Fisk whether 'tis better to stay in the city and ward off doom, or escape to a nice piece of grass off the grid.

The Grass is Always Meaner on the Other Side

Genetically modified grass found in the wild

In what could be the first confirmed instance of a genetically modified plant growing outside a farm in the U.S., EPA ecologists have found an unapproved type of GM grass in the wild in central Oregon. The EPA said the creeping bentgrass (could it sound more evil?), being developed by Scotts Miracle-Gro and Monsanto to be resistant to the herbicide Roundup, will probably not be an ecological threat -- but it may provide fodder for critics who have worried that GM grass will pass herbicide resistance to its wild, weedy relatives. Meanwhile, similarly concerned green groups in Hawaii called for a moratorium on open-air tests of "bio-pharmed" crops, engineered to produce human proteins, pharmaceuticals, and ingredients for vaccines. "To date, effective control programs have not been demonstrated to our satisfaction," said Jeffrey Barach of the Food Products Association. If only Hitchcock were alive to make a movie about this stuff ...

IMBY

Residential wind systems gain popularity

It's somewhat ironic, considering all the NIMBY opposition to wind farms, that more and more consumers are seeking out wind power for, well, their back yards. Three-bladed turbines are popping up at personal abodes across the country, with the potential to save consumers 30 to 90 percent on their electric bills. Some models can be efficient in wind speeds as low as nine miles per hour, and the turbines are no noisier than an air conditioner. Still, some clean-energy seekers face opposition from Not-In-Your-Back-Yard-Either types who just shudder to find a turbine in their line of sight. They're just so ... turbiney! Zoning rules, building-height limitations, and price can also be a deterrent; Southwest Windpower's 1.8-kilowatt Skystream system starts at $8,500 fully installed, while Abundant Renewable Energy's 10-kw ARE442 can run up to $80,000 with installation. However, many backyard-wind enthusiasts recoup their investment within a few years, leaving plenty to spend on garden gnomes.